On Tuesday, July 26, I watched Hillary Rodham Clinton formally accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States of America. She is the first woman to do so in the two and a half-century-long history of our nation.
This achievement was preceded and made possible by many milestones in women's history. Some of which include the Seneca Falls Convention on July 19, 1848, where both men and women gathered and declared that women, like men, were citizens with an “inalienable right to the elective franchise.” The convention marked the beginning of the historical movement for women's’ suffrage. Another is the 19th Amendment, which as many know, guaranteed women the right to vote in 1920. It was the result of the successful women’s suffrage movement and decades of struggle by women’s rights advocates in an effort to gain equality. All of that and more has paved the way for this historical moment.
Unfortunately, many do not seem to recognize the historical importance. A national poll by Morning Consult, showed that about 70% of millennials do not think Hillary Clinton’s primary victory is historical. Excuse me, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Whether you love or hate Hillary Clinton, if you agree or disagree with her, or somewhere in between; no matter if you are conservative or liberal, or Democrat or Republican - Hillary Clinton is the first woman to be nominated by a major political party for president of the United States. That is a huge achievement- acknowledging that fact is not an admission of support for her as a candidate. A comparison with the election of 2008 could be made - many diehard Republicans were able to appreciate the historical significance of Barack Obama’s candidacy as the first African-American nominee, even as they cast their vote for McCain.
During the Democratic National Convention, and particularly during Clinton’s acceptance speech, there were many chants and boos at some points by Sanders supporters and others trying to voice their concerns, some of which I share. But the fact is that this is a historical step in women’s rights. Not too long ago, in the 1970’s, it was not even imaginable that there would be a chance of a woman being elected president. Now there is a chance for that and more. Women make up about 20% of congress and about 10% of governors and 0% of past presidents, this shows that many believe women are not meant to hold a position of leadership for one reason or another. Hillary Clinton’s nomination and other women’s achievements have started to change that idea and have given women a bigger chance for leadership positions. Just like other women’s firsts, Clinton’s nomination is another stone in the long road for women’s progress. I, for one, am excited to be able to witness this historical moment and hope to see more to come.
