On the dawn of 5th November 2008, headlines across the United States declared Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States. The New York Times headline boasted “Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory”, while a Wall Street Journal editorial read: “One promise of his victory is that perhaps we can put to rest the myth of racism as a barrier to achievement in this splendid country.”

Unless you’re a complete hermit, without a grasp of the outside world, it’s easy to see that racism in the US doesn’t just exist, it’s thriving. The Black Lives Matter movement only scratches the surface of it. In his book Turning Back: The Retreat from Racial Justice in American Thought and Policy, Dr Stephen Steinberg offers a powerful historical parallel.

Even in the toughest days of racial segregation and the Jim Crow laws, there were a small number of black plantation owners who owned slaves.  Although they were held up as poster children by the whites, the existence of the black elite didn’t show an eradication of racism. On the contrary, Steinberg writes, the black elite itself was a critical part of the system of status quo racial oppression, serving as a buffer between the elite white oppressor and the ‘truly’ black oppressed. It strengthened the illusion that black people could overcome their struggles if only they had the superior qualities of the black elite.

A parallel of sorts, Hillary Clinton’s loss was heartbreaking for many women. But perhaps Trump’s win was a blessing in disguise for them. The shattering of the glass ceiling would have been synonymous with the declaration that sexism was over. The areas where improvement is drastically needed – maternity leave, equal wages, and increased opportunities for women to enter corporate board rooms, political office, and science and technology fields – could be shortchanged if sexism was considered ‘over’.

But maybe second best – the President’s daughter and closest adviser – is exactly what women need: far enough away from the presidency to remind us that women still haven’t made it to the Oval Office, but close enough to be a key driver of policy and change. Ivanka Trump made her desires clear in an interview with Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes – she hopes to advise her father on issues surrounding female empowerment. She has been key to shaping a new maternity leave policy which guarantees six weeks of paid leave for new mothers and is set to release her second book: Women who Work: Rewriting the Rules of Success.

One of the lowest moments of the Trump campaign was when an auto recording surfaced, where he was recorded bragging using his fame to try and “fuck” women, groping them without consent. He goes on to say that, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” He called this ‘locker room talk’. The last thing America – or the rest of the world needs – is an affirmation that workplace harassment, let alone groping, is acceptable. As a young woman in the workplace, I’ve heard the comments and seen the inappropriate advances, particularly by men who feel entitled because they’re giving you an “opportunity” to get your foot in the door. And I’ve seen the consistent and pervasive nature of this behaviour.

I’ve seen young women bear the burden of harassment, rather than calling their perpetrators out on it, because they fear backlash, which will be destructive to their early-stage careers. Donald and Ivanka can pass equal pay, paid maternity leave, and affordable child care, but as long as he continues to set an example that using power and fame to forcibly achieve his sexual desires with young women, the rest is all in vain. Trump's campaign disempowered and marginalised women.  To fellow Republican presidential candidate and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, he quipped: “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!”

The fact that a woman still has not served as president of the United States is an undeniable reminder that sexism is palpable. Despite this, more positively, it was a good year in Congress for women. Although the number of women in Congress didn’t increase, remaining at an unrepresentative 20 per cent, many milestones were achieved, despite Trump’s rhetoric that women should be aesthetically pleasing rather than intellectually substantive.

A whole 96 years after women gained the right to vote, Catherine Cortez Masto became the first Latina senator. Kamala Harris became the first Indian-American woman to serve in Congress. Stephanie Murphy became the first Vietnamese-American female in Congress, knocking out a 12-term male GOP incumbent. Ilhan Omar, a proud hijab-wearing Muslim and former refugee, was elected the first Somali-American legislator. But the journey is not over. Although there are glimmers of hope, women continue to be vastly under-represented in politics, business and STEM fields.

No matter how dark the days may currently feel, there is a silver lining for women in Clinton’s loss. No one can tell us that sexism is over. We are bearing a torch, to create a world where the strength and success of our daughters will not lie in their sex appeal, but in their willingness to be independent, hardworking and persistent; it lies in their ability to live a life that exudes integrity, confidence and respect.

Ivanka, please help us bear our touch.