“It’s time we had a woman in the White House!” an enthusiastic volunteer called to me from her “Ready for Hillary” table. Of course, statistically, there should be more women in government. More than half of the country is made up of women, and Congress and the executive branch should represent that. However, as a woman, I become somewhat offended when people tell me to “put a woman in the White House.”
One reason for this is the fact that issues still matter. When gender or race completely dominate the conversation, important issues fall out of it. All things equal, would I prefer a female president? Yes. Is the choice ever that simple? No.
Hillary Clinton has built much of her public image around being an advocate for women’s issues. However, there are some contradicting stories. The Clinton Foundation accepts donations from several countries, such as Saudi Arabia, with policies that systematically discriminate against women. It is also hard to wipe away the infamous “bimbo eruptions,” in which Hillary has been accused of attacking sexually-harassed women to protect her husband’s political career.
Additionally, Clinton has been attacked in the past for focusing on policies that favor middle-class white women.
It cannot be denied that Hillary Clinton has a history of advocating for women’s healthcare and pro-women policies; however, many men have a similar record. Assuming that women ought to be in favor of a female candidate by virtue of her gender alone is simply insulting. National policies and presidential elections require a much more nuanced analysis than the simple “it’s time we had a woman in the White House!”
As hard as it is to believe, we women can do lots of crazy things like read, write and form educated opinions about what kinds of policy initiatives we want the future president to prioritize. Diversity is always a good thing, but a candidate who tries to turn gender into political power neglects the diversity of opinions women have about politics. There are many reasons to be “Ready for Hillary,” and focusing on those creates better political dialogue for everyone.
