Even if you’ve only touched the surface of political news over the last decade, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the significance of Hillary Clinton’s run for US presidency, which she lost to Donald Trump in 2016.
The significant loss marked the beginning of an extremely controversial and problematic chapter for the United States, with Trump’s conservative views hindering the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, his extremism on Twitter resulting in a permanent ban and his two impeachments representing an abhorrent abuse of power.
Clinton, who kept her appearances to a minimum in the months following the loss, has slowly returned to the spotlight over the last six years, but she hasn’t forgotten that fork-in-the-road-moment for her country.
“This was a tightrope with no net, and it was really difficult because of all of the unprecedented questions that were raised about a woman being president,” the 74-year-old said in a recent press conference as she promoted her new Apple TV+ series, Gutsy.
“Obviously, I’m very proud of our campaign and very proud of getting more votes. But I’m very sorry that I didn’t actually win the seat,” she continued, before adding that the campaign was a “very gutsy undertaking”.
Clinton, who is now chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast, spent part of the pandemic putting her influence—particularly for women—to use by creating the docu-series, Gutsy with her 42-year-old daughter, Chelsea.
Over eight episodes, the two women venture to hometowns of prominent, pioneering, inspirational women, where they bury themselves in their life, their culture and speak candidly to each about their gutsy journeys.
From comedians Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes to activists and environmentalists Gloria Steinem and Jane Goodall, the mother-daughter duo join conversations with some of the world’s most prominent names—a task they admit they underestimated at times.
“I was nervous to interview Jane Goodall,” Chelsea explained in the press conference. “I had met [Jane] a few times through conservation work that my mum and I have done together over many years, I will never not be in awe of her.”
“Part of me, I think, will always be that six-year-old girl who admired her from afar, and so I was quite nervous when we spoke, and maybe I was a little less nervous at the end of the conversation, but the nerves certainly hadn’t gone away.”
During the media conference, the two women also took the opportunity to speak out about the current fraught and uncertain climate for women in the United States at the moment in the wake of Roe v Wade’s overturning.
“There is such a need for women to have their voices heard, to have their experiences respected,” Clinton said.
“Saying that women have to be a certain way, that they have to make a certain decision or live a certain kind of life—we just reject that. And the stories that we’re telling [in Gutsy], I hope can give heart to a lot of women and men who will see themselves and will hear something that helps them be a little gutsier in the face of whatever challenges they face.”
Chelsea continued: “[The overturning of Roe v Wade] is an attack on an honest telling of American history. It’s an attack on who is thought to be able to teach children. It’s an attack on parents wanting their children to have the best care possible, including gender-affirming care.
“It’s a massive attack on trans kids and their families across our country. And so I think there just is so much gutsiness required to continue to use our voices, to stand up, certainly to vote, but also to use our voices to call attention to the harms where they are happening.”
Gutsy is available to stream on Apple TV+. You can start your subscription here.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
