George Washington was the first president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president with a physical disability. John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic president. Fast forward to 2008, Barack Obama is the first African American president. Yet, through the 200-plus years of American history, we’ve had a major discrepancy because the U.S. have never elected a woman into office.
Even ignoring great and powerful rulers of yore, like Catherine the Great or Cleopatra, there have been powerful leaders recently such as Margaret Thatcher and Julia Gillard. Ever-present on an international stage for the last century, these leaders have faced the intense challenges of running a country. Held under a lens of scrutiny tougher than their male counterparts, they have found themselves reviled or renowned. Just a little over a month ago, Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, won Time’s Person of the Year Award for her outstanding leadership and social change. A woman in charge is only a new concept in the U.S., and with someone as qualified as Hillary Clinton making a break for the White House, her gender is the least of my worries.
I am not personally a Clinton supporter, but I do not doubt her tenacity to be ruthless and command power, two qualifications necessary for a president to have. She meets all the prerequisites necessary and has dominated opponents and naysayers for her entire political career. She can handle the unique challenge and opportunity of being America’s first female president.
Counterpoint: Safety before advancement: now is not a woman's time
To say the U.S. would lose credibility in foreign geopolitical areas that disrespect women is absurd, simply because Clinton herself has dealt with the issue before. As Barack Obama’s secretary of state for four years, she called multiple foreign leaders on the phone and asserted her direction of U.S. Foreign Policy with a commanding authority. Every single interaction and stance the United States has taken on the Middle East in her years as Secretary of State was under her direction. In fact, critics evaluate her time as Secretary of State to be the pinnacle of her varied career thus far. I would go as far to say she’s more qualified to handle foreign policy than any other candidate currently considering a presidential nomination.
After setting the standard for democracy across the world in days past, the U.S. is clearly falling behind European nations when it comes to rights and equal treatment. European nations are adopting friendlier stances towards gay marriage and universal healthcare, with the U.S. lagging far behind these modern, first world countries. The U.S. is a land of opportunity for everyone, including women. Having a female president would be a great way to jumpstart a more progressive future, where anyone can truly be anything.
The fight for gender equality needs a vocal leader to move the ball forward. That’s why we’re proud to endorse @HillaryClinton! #ImWithHer
— NARAL (@NARAL) January 5, 2016
Whether or not it is time for Clinton to be Commander In Chief, the little girl who tells her parents she wants to be president deserves to know that she’s got a chance as equal as the rest of all Americans, as it should be, and no one should tell her otherwise.
Related Links:
Hillary may spell defeat for the GOP
Hillary Clinton's bizarre magazine cover highlights gender disparity in politics
Reach the columnist at aairdo@asu.edu or follow @AnthonyAirdo on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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