NARRATOR: WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE THE MAJORITY OF HUMANITY.

ACROSS MOST CULTURES WOMEN LIVE LONGER THAN MEN AND DO MOST OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ESSENTIAL WORK, INCLUDING MOST OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RAISING THE WORLD'S CHILDREN.

BUT ACROSS THE WORLD, THE ROLES FOR WOMEN IN SOCIETY, FROM ECONOMICS TO POLITICS TO RELIGION TO ARTS AND CULTURE, ARE OFTEN CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY SO.

AND IN THE UNITED STATES, THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP OVER HILLARY CLINTON RAISED FOR MANY THE SPECTER OF A FAILURE OR REVERSAL OF MODERN FEMINISM.

SO, WHAT IS THE STATE OF FEMINISM TODAY, IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD?

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THIS SERIES IS A PLACE IN WHICH THE COMPETING VOICES ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF OUR TIME ARE CHALLENGED AND SET INTO MEANINGFUL CONTEXT SO THAT VIEWERS LIKE YOU CAN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES THE WHOLE TRUTH.

MOST AMERICANS, INDEED MOST HUMAN BEINGS, ARE WOMEN AND GIRLS.

YET ISSUES SPANNING FROM DOMESTIC POLITICS TO GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS STILL SEEM TO HINGE VERY SIGNIFICANTLY AROUND THE QUESTION OF THE PROPER ROLES OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY.

IN THE DECADE AFTER THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND OFTEN ACHIEVED HIGH OFFICE 50 YEARS BEFORE WOMEN OF ANY COLOR WERE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN THIS COUNTRY.

MANY SEE AS ONE OF THE GREATEST FAULT LINES IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS TODAY IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE WEST AND THE JIHADI MOVEMENTS IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO BE CONFLICTING VALUES ABOUT THE ROLE OF WOMEN.

AND, OF COURSE, LAST YEAR THE UNITED STATES ELECTED A MAN WHO, AT THE VERY LEAST, MADE CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS ABOUT WOMEN, A MAN WHO OPPOSED THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OF A MAJOR PARTY, A NOMINEE WHO HAD DEVOTED HER LIFE TO THE CAUSE OF FEMINISM AND WHO EMBODIED THE CAUSE.

DID DONALD TRUMP'S VICTORY MEAN A DEFEAT FOR FEMINISM?

JOINING US ON "THE WHOLE TRUTH" TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES TODAY ARE CARRIE LUKAS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM, JARUNE UWUJAREN, EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PROGRESSIVE," MANAL OMAR, ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT FOR THE CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA AT THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE, WHO WE WELCOME BACK TO "THE WHOLE TRUTH," AND GAYATRI CHAKRAVORTY SPIVAK, UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF HUMANITIES AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

GLAD TO SEE YOU.

THIS IS A-- COULD NOT BE A MORE CURRENT TOPIC.

WE'VE, UH, NOT SO LONG AGO THE UNITED STATES HAD A, UH, AN ELECTION WHICH TRANSFIXED THE WORLD.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, THE UNITED STATES, UH, A MAJOR PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES NOMINATED A FEMALE.

THIS IS A FEMALE WHO HAS EMBODIED THE FEMINIST CAUSE FOR A LONG TIME.

WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF FEMINISM IN THIS COUNTRY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ELECTION, WOULD YOU SAY?

HAS--HAS SOMETHING CHANGED, OR DO YOU SEE CONTINUITY?

WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT, UM...

WHEN YOU DO--AGAIN, TO KIND OF MAKE A-- REMEMBER WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WOMEN, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FEMINISM?

BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT IS NO LONGER JUST ABOUT WOMEN.

IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT THE LEFT AND ABOUT A PROGRESSIVE PUSHING FORWARD, A PROGRESSIVE VISION OF HOW THE WORLD SHOULD GO.

LET'S REMEMBER, 42% OF WOMEN IN AMERICA VOTED FOR TRUMP, UM, AND THEY DID SO BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT HE HAD A BETTER CHANCE AT IMPROVING THEIR CONDITION AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAN MRS. CLINTON DID.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S-- IN MY MIND, WHEN I KIND OF STEP BACK, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THINGS FROM WHAT I CONSIDER AS ORIGINAL FEMINIST IDEALS, I DON'T KNOW THAT MRS. CLINTON WAS REALLY THE EMBODIMENT OF--OF FEMINISM AND WHAT I SEE AS FEMINISM.

REMEMBER, SHE WAS A WOMAN WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO WAS THE FIRST LADY.

SHE KIND OF CAME TO PROMINENCE BASED ON HER HUSBAND.

SHE ACCEPTED A LOT OF BAD BEHAVIOR FROM HER HUSBAND AND STOOD BY HIM.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE, I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS GOT TIRED OF THIS BEING-- OF MRS. CLINTON BEING KIND OF SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS AS IF EVERY WOMAN HAS TO VOTE FOR MRS. CLINTON OR ELSE YOU'RE NOT A GOOD WOMAN OR A GOOD FEMINIST, OR YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

I DIDN'T--YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T--THAT WAS NOT-- YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T LOOK AT GENDER AND THINK THAT'S HOW I WAS GONNA DETERMINE MY VOTE, AND I THINK A LOT OF WOMEN DIDN'T EITHER.

SO, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON A LOT OF POINTS IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT CANDIDATES REPRESENT US.

UM...THE QUESTION OF WHETHER HILLARY CLINTON REPRESENTS FEMINISM, I THINK, IS A QUESTION OF WHAT YOU CONSIDER FEMINISM, AND I THINK RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT FEMINISM AS THIS ONE COHESIVE MOVEMENT, WE NEED TO THINK OF FEMINISMS, UM, PLURAL, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF DOING FEMINISM, AND HILLARY CLINTON'S IS ONE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE, UM, THAT ARE RISING UP AND THAT ARE BASED AROUND DIFFERENT IDEAS THAN MAYBE SOMEONE LIKE HILLARY CLINTON WOULD ESPOUSE.

UM, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE THEIR WOMEN'S RIGHTS FROM A VERY--FROM A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE STANDING.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT NOT CALL THEMSELVES FEMINISTS, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH ABOUT "I WANT TO UPLIFT WOMEN IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, "OR I WANT TO UPLIFT WOMEN, UM, BY PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO POVERTY," OR, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO FEMINISM, AND THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS OF FEMINISM.

THERE'S RADICAL FEMINISM.

THERE'S MORE MAINSTREAM PROGRESSIVE FEMINISM.

UM, I DON'T THINK IF HILLARY CLINTON HAD WON, SHE WOULD HAVE MADE THE COUNTRY MORE FEMINIST BY DEFAULT.

I THINK SHE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN AN HISTORIC PRESIDENT IN THE SAME WAY BARACK OBAMA WAS, BUT WE SEE THAT BARACK OBAMA WAS PRESIDENT FOR 8 YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD HUGE CONFLICTS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, AND SO WE CAN'T JUST SIT THERE AND SAY, BECAUSE OF WHAT THIS PERSON LOOKS LIKE, THEY'RE GOOD FOR ALL OF US.

WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CONGRESS, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, UM, ARE THESE PEOPLE ACTUALLY LOOKING OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE SMALLEST AMONG US AND THE MOST VULNERABLE, OR ARE THEY KIND OF POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND CAREER MOTIVATED IN THE WAY THAT MANY POLITICIANS ARE.

CARRIE'S NUMBERS ARE VERY STRIKING ON THIS--42%.

IT, UH, BRINGS TO MIND, UH, AN ADAGE THAT I HEARD IN THE WAKE OF THE ELECTION, WHICH IS THAT SECRETARY CLINTON RAN AS A WOMAN, BUT SHE WAS EVALUATED AS A CANDIDATE, WHICH IN MANY WAYS MAY BE A... A MARKER OF GREAT PROGRESS IN THIS COUNTRY.

AFTER ALL, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, WE ALL WISH TO BE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF WHAT--WHAT-- WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE.

BUT IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT YOU DID NOT SEE IN 2016 WAS ANYTHING LIKE, SAY, A CATHOLIC REFERENDUM THAT YOU SAW IN 1960.

JOHN KENNEDY, IRONICALLY DENYING THAT CATHOLICISM HAD ANY BEARING ON THE 1960 ELECTION, CARRIED, LIKE, 85% OR 90% OF THE CATHOLIC VOTE, WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE.

BUT WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, DR. SPIVAK?

WELL, I KIND OF AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT JUDGMENT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK DEMOCRACY IS ABOUT JUDGMENT.

YOU DON'T VOTE FOR EVERYONE.

YOU HAVE TO JUDGE.

AND TO AN EXTENT, THE FACT THAT 42% OF WOMEN VOTED FOR TRUMP DOESN'T MEAN THAT MUCH TO ME, BECAUSE I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT WOMEN AND MEN.

I'M THINKING ABOUT AN ELECTORATE THAT HAS JUDGMENT, BECAUSE DEMOCRACY IS NOT JUST ABOUT MY RIGHTS.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT EQUALITY WITH PEOPLE WHO DO NOT RESEMBLE ME AT ALL, EQUALITY WITH PEOPLE-- SO TO MAKE A BINARY DIVISION-- ALTHOUGH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM-- BETWEEN WOMEN AND-- AND THE LEFT, I THINK IT'S A MISTAKE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE BIG, GENERAL WORDS.

WE REALLY OUGHT TO BE THINKING OF COMING TOGETHER.

AND I'LL JUST SAY THIS, THAT PART OF WHAT ONE DOES IS TRY TO EDUCATE THE ELECTORATE.

IN THIS COUNTRY, THERE IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE DECREASE IN EDUCATION ACROSS THE BOARD, AT THE TOP AS WELL AS AT THE BOTTOM, OF THINKING ABOUT VALUES AND SO ON.

IT'S ALL S.T.E.M.

NOW.

NO, LIKE-- IN NEW YORK CITY HIGH SCHOOLS, LANGUAGES ARE GONE.

THOSE ARE THE INSTRUMENTS WITH WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO IMAGINE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT RESEMBLE US AT ALL.

SO WOMEN, BECAUSE THEY VOTED FOR THEIR RIGHTS, 42% OF THEM VOTED FOR TRUMP.

THAT'S NOT HOW WE EDUCATE AN ELECTORATE.

I LIKE YOUR WORD "JUDGMENT," BECAUSE "JUDGMENT" IS A WORD THAT IMPLIES MANY, MANY CONSIDERATIONS, OFTEN INARTICULATE, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FEMINISM AS A VERY BROAD TENT, MANY VARIATIONS ON IT.

BUT WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

WELL, I MEAN, I WOULD DEFINITELY START BY SAYING I'M A PROUD FEMINIST, UNDERSTANDING THAT I GET TO DEFINE THAT TERM.

NOBODY DEFINES IT FOR ME.

UM, AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE IN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES ANYMORE.

THE WORLD IS COMING TOGETHER.

THOSE LINES ARE BEING BLURRED.

AND I REALLY SEE OUR HUMANITY MORE AND MORE.

AND I THINK THAT THE PATRIARCHY HAS USED BORDERS AND NATIONALISM AND RELIGION TO DIVIDE US.

AND IT REALLY SADDENS ME TO THINK ABOUT A LINE I'VE HEARD WOMEN SAY IN CONFLICT ZONES OVER AND OVER, AND I FIRST HEARD IT IN IRAQ, BUT I REMEMBER HEARING IT IN NIGERIA AND OTHER PLACES, WHERE THEY SAID, "WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT LEAPING FORWARD.

WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE STATUS QUO."

AND ON NOVEMBER 9th, THAT LINE HIT ME SO HARD, BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT AS AN AMERICAN WOMAN, I WAS NOW IN THAT POSITION OF WHERE WE'RE NO LONGER TALKING ABOUT LEAPING FORWARD BY BREAKING THE BIG GLASS CEILING OF A FEMALE PRESIDENT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING THE RIGHTS WE'VE ALWAYS HAD.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE REALITY.

UM, I--I TOOK ALL OF THE ATTACKS ON HILLARY QUITE PERSONALLY.

I FELT LIKE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT MY MOTHER.

UM, AND I'M PALESTINIAN, SO OBVIOUSLY I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF HILLARY CLINTON'S FOREIGN POLICIES AND A LOT OF HER DOMESTIC POLICIES.

BUT THE CRITICISM, I FELT, WAS NOT FAIR COMPARED TO OTHER MALE CANDIDATES, AND I FELT SHE WAS BEING HELD BY WOMEN TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN WE HOLD MALE CANDIDATES.

AND I SEE THIS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

YOU KNOW, I HEAR WOMEN WHO ARE DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS SAY, "WE'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO BE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

WE'RE NOT RUNNING."

AND THEN AN ILLITERATE TRIBAL LEADER IS SITTING AND FILLING PARLIAMENT.

SO OUR STANDARDS FOR WOMEN IS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL FOR US TO ACCEPT THEM.

AND THAT'S THE FINAL GOAL OF PATRIARCHY, IS WHEN MINORITIES ATTACK OTHER MINORITIES.

AND AGAIN, I THINK REALLY LOOKING AT WHERE I WORK, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY IN WAR ZONES, I'VE SEEN WOMEN REALLY STEP UP IN A VERY POWERFUL WAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF VICTIMHOOD, AND I THINK FOR ME, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I LEARN FROM WOMEN.

EISENHOWER: THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS...

THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WAS A VERY INTERESTING FEATURE OF THE--OF THE CLINTON SPEECH HABIT IN 2016, WAS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS RUNNING ON AN "AMERICA FIRST" PLATFORM, AND SHE JOINED ISSUE ON THAT.

WHEN SHE--WHEN SHE SPOKE OF HER COMMITMENT TO WOMEN AND SO FORTH, SHE DID SO IN A VERY TRANSNATIONAL WAY, ERASING BOUNDARIES EVERYWHERE, AS THOUGH THE WHOLE QUESTION OF FEMINISM, IN A SENSE, IS SOMETHING THAT, UH...

WHICH LEAPS BORDERS.

YOU FEEL A SOLIDARITY WITH WOMEN ELSEWHERE IN OTHER SOCIETIES.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THAT-- I MENTIONED TO EVERYONE BEFORE WE STARTED THE SHOW THAT I HAD BEEN LIVING IN, UM, IN GERMANY UNTIL THIS SUMMER, AND, UM, AND I THINK THERE WAS A REAL TENSION IN GERMANY WITH THIS IDEA OF-- THEY WERE VERY WELCOMING OF REFUGEES, AND, UM, AND THE FEMINISTS, IN GENERAL, THE ORGANIZED FEMINISTS WERE VERY PRO THE REFUGEES, BUT THEN THERE WAS THIS VERY AWKWARD MOMENT WHERE, WHAT DID THAT MEAN FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS?

BECAUSE WOMEN IN GERMANY WERE SUFFERING AN ENORMOUS UPTICK IN SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

THERE WAS A NEW PUSH FOR-- A LOT OF THE REFUGEE MEN WOULDN'T ACCEPT FEMALE DOCTORS.

THEY WANTED TO HAVE WOMEN SEPARATED AND HAVE THESE SEPARATE QUARTERS.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF GERMANS WHO WERE SAYING, "WAIT A SECOND.

THIS ISN'T WHAT GERMANY IS ABOUT."

AND THERE WAS THIS REAL TENSION, AND THERE WAS A FEELING THAT A LOT OF LEADING FEMINISTS THERE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND THEY WERE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT AND HAD THIS POLITICALLY CORRECT DESIRE TO-- TO WISH THAT AWAY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF NORMAL GERMAN WOMEN WHO SAID, "WAIT.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE STEP BACK IS."

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE HERE, I THINK THAT IT IS THIS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, AND OFTEN PUSHED BY FEMINISM AS A LEADING KIND OF ENFORCER OF THAT, THAT WAS MAKING US-- WHICH THREATENED WOMEN.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AMERICA TODAY WHO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND FEEL AS THOUGH-- WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND THIS LACK OF A SERIOUS EDUCATION, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT FEMINISM HAS DISTRACTED PEOPLE AND HAS BECOME KIND OF THE POLICE THAT IS NOT ALLOWING US TO HAVE FREE SPEECH.

I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF THING, AND THIS ELITISM, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, "OH, WE NEED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE DOWN THERE."

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

"WASHINGTON AND THE PEOPLE IN LIBERAL UNIVERSITIES, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT MY LIFE IS LIKE," AND THEY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU TREAT WOMEN AND MEN UM, AS IF THEY NEED TO BE LECTURED TO.

THE CHANGING STATUS BETWEEN, OR CHANGING ROLES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN TOUCHES EVERY HOUSEHOLD, EVERY PERSON ON EARTH.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

NOW, DOES A CHANGE LIKE THAT HAPPEN SPONTANEOUSLY?

HOW IMPORTANT, WOULD YOU SAY, IS THE ORGANIZED POLITICAL BRANCH OF THIS, WHICH YOU'VE RAISED?

IN OTHER WORDS, WE ENCOUNTER THIS.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL FORCE AS WELL AS A PHENOMENON.

SO, THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING UP HERE, BUT ALSO PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, UM, AND THE WAY THEY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT WOMEN'S ROLES AND THE WAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, UM, THEIR OWN ROLES.

UM, AND THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE I CAN SPEAK TO IS AS A CHILD OF IMMIGRANTS FROM NIGERIA.

UM, I'M LIKE TWO GENERATIONS AWAY FROM POLYGAMY AND A VERY DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS.

UM, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT FEMINISM LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT WOMEN'S RIGHTS LOOKS LIKE, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF TAKE INTO THIS... YOU HAVE TO KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT THIS SIMPLE ISSUE WHERE EVERYTHING LOOKS THE WAY IT LOOKS IN THE WEST OR EVERYTHING MOVES IN THIS LINEAR FASHION FORWARD.

UM, A LOT OF FEMINIST THOUGHT COMES FROM THIS AREA.

IT COMES FROM THE UNITED STATES.

IT COMES FROM EUROPE.

IT'S KIND OF BEING APPLIED TO OTHER CULTURES IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GEL WITH THOSE CULTURES.

UM, AND SO THERE-- THERE'S A COMPLICATION THERE UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GLOBAL FEMINISM.

LIKE YOU'RE--YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT MUCH OF THE WRITING, MUCH OF THE THOUGHT IS COMING FROM THE WEST AND KIND OF BEING FILTERED THROUGH OTHER CULTURES.

SO, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE INSTITUTE OF PEACE, WHAT--WHAT IS THE-- WHAT IS THE KIND OF RESISTANCE YOU ENCOUNTER TO THIS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, AND WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT RESISTANCE FOR PEACE?

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT BY TARGETING WOMEN, MORE THAN 50% OF THE POPULATION, YOU'RE NOT ONLY ABLE TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE PEACE, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INVESTMENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF SOCIETY, AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH HAS REALLY SHOWN THAT.

UM, BUT I ALSO LIKE TO REALLY EMPHASIZE HOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO SECURITY AND STABILIZATION.

YOU KNOW, WOMEN KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY KNOW THEIR HOMES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH FOREIGN FIGHTERS, WOMEN ARE THE FIRST TO SAY, "HEY, WE DON'T KNOW THAT BOY.

HE DOESN'T BELONG TO A FAMILY IN THIS VILLAGE."

AND SO IF WE WERE ACTUALLY PAYING ATTENTION, WOMEN RAISE THE RED FLAGS, AND I CALL THEM KIND OF THE CANARIES IN THE MINE IN CONFLICT.

OFTENTIMES, WE DISMISS IT AS WOMEN'S ISSUES RATHER THAN AN INDICATOR OF EARLY-DETECTION WARNING SIGNS FOR VIOLENCE, AND THAT'S THE WAY I TRY TO BRING IT.

PARTICULARLY YOU'LL SEE WOMEN WHO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE POLICE OR WITH WHATEVER THEIR LOCAL SECURITY FORCE, IF THEY TRUST THEM, THEY'LL TIP THEM OFF.

IF THEY DON'T TRUST THEM BECAUSE THE POLICE WILL WIPE IN AND TAKE ALL THE BOYS IN THE VILLAGE OR ALL THE BOYS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TIP THEM OFF.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE TENSION.

THE OTHER THING I OFTEN SAY IS WOMEN ARE ALWAYS TOLD, "NOT NOW. "

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO-- AND I'VE HEARD THIS.

"WE'VE GOT TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY.

AS SOON AS I STABILIZE THE COUNTRY--" I'VE HEARD THIS FROM OUR OWN MILITARY-- "I'LL COME AND I'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR WOMEN, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS."

AND MY ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY.

"YOU WILL NOT STABILIZE IRAQ, LIBYA, AFGHANISTAN, AND SYRIA UNTIL YOU TALK ABOUT THE WOMEN."

AND I THINK THAT KIND OF ABILITY TO DISMISS WOMEN IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE CATCHING OURSELVES IN THE SECURITY SECTOR.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WRONG.

WE NEED TO TARGET WOMEN AS OUR ALLIES AND OUR PARTNERS.

THIS IS THE...ONE OF THE GREAT, GREAT CHANGES OF MY LIFE, AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUES LOOKING FORWARD INTO THE 20th--21st CENTURY FOR PEACE AT HOME AND PEACE ABROAD.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVES ON THIS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY HERE IN CONCLUSION TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING, AND THAT IS, WHAT VISION WOULD YOU HAVE FOR A YOUNG WOMAN IN THE 21st CENTURY, AND IS THAT NECESSARILY AN AMERICAN VISION, OR IS THAT A VISION OF SOMEONE THAT YOU ENVISION SOMEWHERE ELSE?

WHAT IS THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS BEFORE FEMINISM TODAY?

I THINK ALL OF US AGREE AND IT'S IMPLICIT IN THIS DISCUSSION, THIS IS A-- THIS IS IN PROGRESS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT COMPLETE AROUND THE WORLD.

SO, WHAT'S THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS, BUT WHAT IS YOUR VISION, LOOKING FORWARD?

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, HOW FAR WE'VE COME, AND JUST IN MY LIFETIME, I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SUCH CHANGES, AND THE POSSIBILITIES-- I HAVE 3 YOUNG DAUGH-- 3 YOUNG DAUGHTERS, AND, UM, AND THEY DON'T-- IT--IT WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE TO THEM, THIS IDEA THAT WOMEN'S-- THAT THE CHOICES THAT THEY CAN MAKE OR THE FUTURES THAT THEY HAVE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THEIR BROTHERS'.

SO I THINK WE'RE MOVING THIS WAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND TOWARDS THIS IDEA OF WOMEN HAVING, UM, BEING ABLE TO PURSUE THE-- THE LIFE THAT THEY--THEY WISH, UM, AND FULFILL THEIR DREAMS, WHETHER THAT'S BECOMING THE CEO OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, OR IF IT'S TO BECOME A MOTHER AND SOMEBODY WHO PRIMARILY STAYS AT HOME.

I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE CHOICE, AND WE NEED TO NOT, UM, KIND OF OVERLOOK THAT.

IT SOMETIMES TROUBLES ME IN THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT THAT WE, BY AN UNDERSTANDABLE DESIRE NOT TO LIMIT WOMEN TO THIS IDEA OF THE VALUE OF MOTHERHOOD, THAT WE TRY TO, UM, DENIGRATE THIS--THIS ROLE, WHICH IS, AGAIN, ONE OF THE MOST FULFILLING, WHAT MANY WOMEN WOULD SAY THAT FOR THEIR FAMILIES IS THE MOST FULFILLING ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

SO, THE VISION I WOULD HAVE FOR, UM, A YOUNG WOMAN, LOOKING AT AMERICA SPECIFICALLY, IS FOR WOMEN OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WHETHER THEY CAME UP IN POVERTY, WHETHER THEY'RE A WOMAN OF COLOR, WHETHER THEY'RE A BLACK WOMAN, LIKE ANY KIND OF WOMAN, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME RIGHTS AS EVERY KIND OF MAN.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE UNITED STATES IS THERE'S NOT ONLY, UM, GENDER-BASED ISSUES, BUT THERE'S ALSO RACIAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT WOMEN.

THERE ARE ISSUES OF DISABILITY THAT AFFECT WOMEN.

SO UNTIL ALL WOMEN ARE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES ON THOSE LEVELS, UM, THEN WE AREN'T ALL EQUAL.

DR. SPIVAK.

I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH A LOT THAT HAS BEEN SAID.

YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN DIVISIONS, BUT I ALSO HAVE SOME POINTS, AND I WANT TO REALLY BUILD ON SOMETHING YOU SAID.

YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO VERY CRITICAL OF THIS--OF PUTTING WOMEN SEPARATELY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

BUT I WAS, IN FACT, SPEAKING IN BERLIN JUST AFTER THESE, UH, THESE, UH, THE REFUGEES HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN, AND I WAS VERY STRONGLY CRITICIZING GERMAN NATIONALISM ON THE LEFT AND SO ON.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A KIND OF BOGEYMAN CALLED THE LEFT.

OK?

I THINK THAT REALLY DOES US HARM, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MOTHERHOOD, MOTHERING, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IN FACT, IN NORWAY, I SAID THAT THE ONE THING ABOUT DEMOCRACY, THE ONE SLOGAN THAT REALLY WORKS AND TRAVELS, AND IN FACT, VERY THEORETICAL FEMINISTS WERE AGAINST THIS.

THEY SAID THAT THIS IS LIBERAL BIOPOLITICS, IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT PHRASE.

BUT WHAT I HAD SAID WAS THAT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, THIS PARTICULAR SLOGAN TRAVELS FROM THE ABSOLUTELY POOR-- I HAVE 6 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AMONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING.

THEIR CHILDREN PLAY WITH BRICKS, OK?

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO PLAY WITH.

SO OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN.

IT TRAVELS FROM THE ABSOLUTE BOTTOM TO THE ABSOLUTE TOP AS A KIND OF SLOGAN FOR DEMOCRATIC THINKING.

AND THEREFORE, I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN YOU ARE CRITICAL OF THE WAY IN WHICH OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEHAVING, THE POINT IS NOT TO SAY, "HEY, THAT IS NOT--" TO TAKE YOUR WORD-- "THAT IS NOT NORMAL GERMAN," BUT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WITHIN THOSE GROUPS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY CRITICAL OF IT ALSO.

I WAS SPEAKING TO SOMEONE FROM TUNISIA YESTERDAY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE FACT THAT THERE ARE CRITICAL MOVEMENTS-- YOU SEE, MY SISTER AND I TALK ABOUT, WHY ARE WE LIKE THAT?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH US-- THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE-- IT TAKES WORK.

YOU CAN'T JUST THINK OF YOURSELF AS NORMAL.

"AND LOOK HOW BADLY THEY'RE BEHAVING."

NOTHING IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THAT.

FROM NOW, ON THE FRONT LINES, HOW DOES IT LOOK?

WELL, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T...

I WOULDN'T--I MEAN, I'M EAGER TO HEAR AND LISTEN TO THE YOUNG VISION THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD, AND I THINK IT WILL BE A POWERFUL VISION.

INSTEAD, WHAT I WOULD DO IS SHARE MY 3 BIG LESSONS, IS WATCH OUT FOR WHEN PEOPLE DIVIDE.

UM, THERE IS ALWAYS-- AND PARTICULARLY IN PATRIARCHY, THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR THOSE DIVISIONS.

IT DOESN'T MEAN DON'T CRITICIZE, WHICH WOULD BE MY SECOND LESSON, IS HAVE THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.

YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE, DON'T TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SCARF MEANS TO ME.

DON'T TRY AND FIGURE OUT SHARIA LAW.

JUST ASK ME.

AND SO, IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS UNITY.

AND I THINK THE THIRD AREA IS, YOU KNOW, THE TRAP OF BORDERS, OF RELIGION, OF NATIONALISM IS THE BIGGEST TRAP THAT HAS DIVIDED WOMEN AND I THINK DIVIDED HUMANITY.

SO REALLY RISE, AND LET'S START CHALLENGING OURSELVES.

EISENHOWER: SO THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE VISION OF, I WOULD SAY, FEMINIST VISIONARIES AND BASICALLY ONE WORLD.

OMAR: YEAH, AND HUMANITARIANISM.

I MEAN, I SEE IT AS IT'S REALLY ONE ISSUE.

THAT'S WHY I SAY WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

EISENHOWER: THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL DISCUSSION.

AS I SAY, I JUST CAN'T ESCAPE THE FEELING-- TWO THINGS.

ONE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS QUESTION, AND SECOND, UM, YES, IT HAPPENS TO BE LOCATED ON THE LEFT SPECTRUM OF THE UNITED STATES, AND I WONDER HOW MUCH OF THAT IS HISTORICAL ACCIDENT.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN 1960 MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CIVIL RIGHTS PARTY.

THE DEMOCRATS MAKE A DECISION TO GO FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FEMINISM TIES IN WITH IT, AND SO FORTH.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES ALL OF US.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY, GOING FORWARD, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING ABOUT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES AND PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF THE CENTURY.

APPRECIATE IT FOR EVERYBODY FOR HAVING "THE WHOLE TRUTH."

THANK YOU.

BY SUPPORTING THE STRENGTH OF ALL SOCIETIES' MOST FUNDAMENTAL UNIT, THE FAMILY, TRADITIONAL ROLES FOR WOMEN, BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD, HAVE SURELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HUMAN PROGRESS.

IT IS UNDENIABLE, HOWEVER, THAT THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF OUR SOCIETY AND OF MOST SOCIETIES ON EARTH HAVE BEEN RUN VERY DISPROPORTIONATELY BY MEN.

NO ONE BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A GENETIC REASON IN TODAY'S ECONOMY AND SOCIETY TO DO OTHER THAN INVITE THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC LIFE.

NO DOUBT, THE RISE OF WOMEN HAS ACCELERATED HUMAN PROGRESS.

YET THESE ISSUES ABOUT THE ROLES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SOCIETY CUT TO THE CORE OF DEEPLY HELD BELIEFS ABOUT IDENTITY, ABOUT RELIGION, AND ABOUT POLITICAL ECONOMY.

SO WHAT DOES FEMINISM MEAN IN THE AGE OF TRUMP AND CLINTON?

WHAT DOES FEMINISM MEAN IN AN AGE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN THE SELF-STYLED MODERN WEST AGAINST RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM?

THE WHOLE TRUTH OF THIS QUESTION SEEMS TO ME TO BE THAT THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD WILL BE, AS MUCH AS ANY, THE DEFINING QUESTION OF THE 21st CENTURY.

I AM DAVID EISENHOWER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WATCHING "THE WHOLE TRUTH."

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