Here’s an author’s name you’d never expect to reside underneath an article title in September’s Teen Vogue: Hillary Clinton. In their issue #ForGirlsByGirls, dedicated entirely to celebrating girls and women, Hillary Clinton penned her own article. In it, she gave young people (especially girls) advice on how to make sure their voices are heard. Ending with a typical call to get to the polls, Clinton’s article reminds us all that she is in a very unique position. As the first woman to be nominated by a major party for President of the United States, Clinton is facing new challenges, many that are unique to her gender. From early accusations of pulling the “woman card” to a more recent Washington Post article examining how Clinton “talks more like a man”, Clinton’s womanhood has played a large role in shaping her campaign. For young girls interested in a future in politics, this serves at the perfect template on which to picture what their future might hold.
“I would say that it’s been incredibly inspiring to have a major party choose a female candidate,” Meggie, a rising Sophomore at Oberlin College, begins, “…because it’s a breaking a large glass ceiling that’s been looming for decades”. Seeing Clinton as encouragement isn’t unique; many woman see her getting this far as a sign of the world changing for the better. Since her campaign in 2008, Clinton had spoken of the glass ceiling and her ultimate goal of shattering it. Inherently, a big part of her campaign is centered around the fact that she might be the first woman to become the President of the United States. And it’s about time too. Currently, across the world, 22 women hold the office of either Prime Minister or President. Female rulers date back centuries, as far back as Mesopotamian city-states. However, simply because other parts of the world may be more advanced in this area, doesn’t mean only Americans are inspired by Hillary’s campaign. “I reckon it’s incredibly important to have visible women in positions of power, who are unapologetically feminine and who are there of their own merit rather than because of nepotism.” Says Niamh, a 19 year old doubling majoring in politics and economics outside the U.S. “… It definitely gives me hope that one day I’ll be able to occupy top-tier levels of high ranking positions, perhaps not in politics but in other sectors such as business and academia”.
Today, the United States not having a female President thus far is simply nonsensical. In a recent poll conducted by CNN, it was revealed that eight out of ten Americans are ready for a female president. However, this has obviously not always been the case. Madeline, a rising senior who hopes to pursue a career in politics, commented on this fact. “As a young person, it’s easy to see Hillary’s importance as merely symbolic, as the idea of a female president has been dangled in front of us for a couple of elections now. For women who have lived through generations where the mere acknowledgement of the existence of female political presence was virtually null, though, there is perhaps nothing more profoundly encouraging than Hillary’s campaign”. While the country, and many woman, are still polarized when it comes to Clinton’s actual views, what her campaign symbolizes still holds great significance.
Though many women and girls are encouraged by how far Clinton’s come, others notice the negative sides of America it’s exposing. Kennedy, a 14 year old with political dreams, pointed out just how unfairly women in politics are treated. “…[Clinton’s] campaign is highlighting how difficult it would be to be a woman in politics, because she gets so much criticism about things like having a “shrill voice” that men would never get criticized on. So while the fact that she’s running is inspiring, the responses from the public aren’t”. Meggie remarks as well, saying “…It’s been largely eye opening to the implicit sexism in contemporary American society and causes me to worry that the response from many will be along the lines of “sexism is solved” when we’re still very far from equality,”. Not only are we far from equality for women, with a lack of equal pay and paid maternity leave, but the playing field is still not level for all women. While Hillary’s campaign does represent a triumph for women, we must remember that the fight doesn’t end once a white woman takes office. In terms of political power, women of color, women in the LGBT+ community and disabled women are all at a disadvantage. Just as Hillary’s campaign is inspiring a new generation of political leaders, it must all inspire a new political mindset. When that looming glass ceiling finally breaks, we will have many more to face, and just as we embrace the inspiration Hillary provides, we must also embrace the new, diverse, female faces America’s political future is bound to introduce.
