Clinton Run Reshaping Attitudes

Hillary Clinton, victim of email scandal, sexism, and wife of a cheating husband.

And possibly the first female president.

In 2008, Clinton first ran for the Democratic party nomination for the presidency against Barack Obama. Although she did not get the nomination, she was appointed Secretary of State during Obama’s first term.

Now the 2016 elections are around the corner and Clinton seems to be a viable alternative to anything the Republican party has produced thus far, including the inexplicable Donald Trump.

As a woman running for the presidency, Clinton is far more progressive than Trump and any of his Republican peers. Not only does Clinton have experience in the White House, she will likely raise awareness about the inequality that women face in the work place, particularly with regard to wages.

It is true, sexism runs both ways. Believe me, I’ve seen boys degraded.  I don’t believe in a world where girls are better than boys. I believe in a world where everyone is equal.

For most of the time humans have been living on Earth, women have been treated as the inferior sex. In ancient Egypt, girls were married off at age 12 to older boys in an effort to continue bloodlines. This view of women, seen as child-bearers and nothing else, has continued on for centuries, and is still persistent in some cultures.

Yet, women have constantly disproven this view. For example, Queen Elizabeth I became, arguably, the greatest ruler of England. Queen Elizabeth united her kingdom in religious uniformity, worked with Parliament, and also defeated the Spanish Armada. What was a man’s equivalent in power, knowledge and authority.

Who knows? Clinton could very well be the “Elizabeth” of America – but only if she can overcome the sexism still prevalent in politics.

Even if America is able to overcome its history of gender inequality, there are still other countries thousands of years away from such progress. And because of that, terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Queda may have a renewed sense of hatred toward our country. 

In “Women of the Islamic State” by the Al-Khanssaa Brigade, an all-female ISIS subgroup, ISIS’ beliefs on feminism are explained: “The role of women is inherently ‘sedentary’, and that her responsibilities lie first and foremost in the house, except in a handful of narrowly defined circumstances. This role begins at the point of marriage which, it is declared, can be as young as 9 years old. From this point on, it is women’s ‘appointed role [to] remain hidden and veiled and maintain society from behind’…She may be important, but she faces myriad restrictions and an imposed piety that is punishable by hudud punishments.”

Terrorist organization, as well as Russia’s President Vladmir Putin, might view America as weak if Clinton were to become president. According to the Huffington Post, Putin regards Clinton as “weak” and that she “has never been too graceful in her statements.”

The thought that someone is weak because she is a girl astounds me.

For years, the suffragettes fought against sexism, and girls everywhere carry on their cause today. Whether in the face of boys in elementary school who wouldn’t let girls play in a game or in support of women who wish to fly fighter jets, design computer software, or cure cancer.

When I was younger, I didn’t apply myself much in PE class. I’m a small person with weak limbs, so doing push ups and running were my Everest. In 1st grade, after I miserably failed the push up test, a boy came up to me and told it was okay that I couldn’t do it since I’m a girl and since I’m a girl, I couldn’t possibly be expected to do things to the extent that boys could do them. Even at the age, with the limited understanding of sexism, I was furious. I went on to win the Presidential Award for the mile in 3rd grade, beating almost all of the boys in my class.

Certainly, Clinton has been told she couldn’t be president because she is a woman, just like I was essentially told I shouldn’t worry about trying to achieve in physical pursuits.

It’s the 21st century. The time of gender inequality is over.

Human rights are women’s rights too, and with Clinton running against the odds of a declining attitude of chauvinism, reform is sure to come in education, immigration, and other social issues, while the country’s foreign policy pivots to address the various practices of discrimination world-wide.

Clinton is a strong and competent leader, and her presidency will be another significant step towards gender equity for all.