Hillary Clinton re-emerged on Monday in a video message to open the 2017 Makers conference taking place in southern California, pronouncing, “Yes, the future is female.”
Clinton referenced last month’s Women’s March in what was her first public remarks since President Donald Trump’s inauguration last month.
“Just look at the amazing energy we saw last month as women organized a march that galvanized millions of people all over our country and across the world,” Clinton said.
The march, which was sponsored by Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America, occurred the day after Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. (and in other locations in lesser numbers) and was in direct response to his ascension to the presidency.
Organizers described the Makers conference on its opening day as, “the meeting after the march.”
“Now more than ever we need to stay focused on this year’s conference: Be bold. We need strong women to step up and speak out. We need you to dare greatly and lead boldly,” Clinton said in the video.
In what appeared to be another reference to the Trump administration, the Democrat nominee stated, “So please, set an example for every woman and girl out there who’s worried about what the future holds and wonders whether our rights, opportunities and values will endure.”
“Despite all the challenges we face, I remain convinced that Yes, the future is female,” she proclaimed to the Makers attendees.
Hadley Heath Manning, with the Independent Women’s Forum, in a statement to Western Journalism observed, “Some of the rhetoric from Clinton and others implies that they are fearful for women’s futures, but this perspective is based on their political views and isn’t shared by all women.”
She added that while conservative women want to see opportunities improve for all women, “We do not think all women belong to a victim class in the U.S. today, and we do not feel that our rights are under siege.”
The Makers conference features such liberal stalwarts as Gloria Steinem; actresses Debra Messing, Eva Longoria, Octavia Spencer, Rosie Perez and Patricia Arquette; and author Luvvie Ajayi.
Last month, Ajayi posted a video of her setting a pair of Ivanka Trump brand high heels on fire. She described burning them to a crisp as “cathartic.”
Ironically, Trump and her father would agree with the Makers’ conference desire to see women continue to break new ground and have new opportunities in the workplace.
In the 1980s, Donald Trump named a women to head up construction of his now iconic Trump Tower, when such a choice was unheard of and still rare. The Trump Organization has more women in high executive positions than men.
Further, the president has backed his daughter’s plan for a childcare tax write-off, which she spoke about at the Republican Convention last July.
“As president, my father will change the labor laws that were put into place at a time when women were not a significant portion of the workforce,” she said. “And he will focus on making quality childcare affordable and accessible for all.”
Trump garnered 42 percent of the female vote to Clinton’s 54 percent, overall; and a majority (53 percent) of white women backed the Republican.
Conservative radio talk show host Dana Loesch did not appreciate Clinton’s remarks to the Maker’s conference describing her words as “tone deaf” and an “awful message to send to boys.”
Clinton announced earlier this month that she is writing a new book, to be released in the fall, which will be a collection of essays inspired by her favorite quotes. According to the Hollywood Reporter, some of her reflections will include “her stunning loss last fall to Donald Trump.”