Senator Bernie Sanders' most loyal ally in his fight for the Democratic nomination comes in the unusual form of veteran rapper and activist Killer Mike. After "smoking a joint and reading his tweets," the rapper officially endorsed Sanders at a rally in June of 2015 in an impassioned speech to an Atlanta crowd. The rapper's increased involvement with the senator's campaign is just another example of a friendship that has defied all expectations. Since then, the two have collaborated on multiple projects to promote Sanders such a six-part interview on Killer Mike's YouTube page.

Killer Mike is no stranger to controversial statements. His work in activism has proved this time and time again as he fights to find a greater good by exposing unbearable truths. He actively repeats to supporters, without hesitation, that "good enough" is never good enough and that people should always strive for everything they deserve without compromise. During his endorsement of Sanders, the rapper passionately pleaded, "I have no time to relive the Reagan years, no desire to elect our own Margaret Thatcher," in defense of the senator's platform, a statement not taken lightly by many. It's what he said at one of his most recent appearances for Sanders that took the media off-guard.

While introducing Sanders at Morehouse College in his home state of Georgia, Killer Mike made a statement during another impassioned speech that instantly sent the media (and subsequently social media) into a frenzy:

"But I talked to Jane Elliott a few weeks ago, and Jane said, 'Michael, a uterus doesn't qualify you to be the president of the United States. You have to be, you have to have policy that's reflective of social justice.'"

As a woman, I can't understand why a female would take offense to this statement. Jane Elliot, a famed social activist, has a decades-long history of advocating equal rights for women. What Killer Mike said was not saying that a woman is not qualified for the position, but rather that gender should not be a qualifying factor on someone's campaign. To put it simply, Jane Elliot and Killer Mike both agree that women should not vote for a candidate simply because she is a woman. What rational woman would disagree?

Using the kind of logic mentioned by Killer Mike can have, and likely already has, a negative effect on the community in the long run. For instance, women like current New Hampshire senator Kelly Ayotte and former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina have negative opinions of women's reproductive rights, something women have been fighting to earn for decades. Electing a woman based on her gender doesn't guarantee that she will protect our rights, even if she might run such a platform.

Both the media and social media took this statement far out of context, using the phrase, "a uterus doesn't qualify you to be president" as many of their headlines and talking points. Seems slightly deceptive, doesn't it?

Killer Mike took to The View the following week to clear up his comments, where he began the conversation with a barrage of criticism from the panel of women. When asked about the controversy, the rapper immediately addressed the misconception swirling throughout the media, saying:

"I have no qualms with Hillary Clinton. I have nothing against her. I have something against big money being in politics. I have something against I must vote for someone because I am black or you must vote for someone because you're a woman."

As a woman and a voter, what Killer Mike said represents who I am and what I believe in. The progression of civil rights is still a major issue facing this country, but electing a woman just for the sake of having a woman in office isn't the way to solve the problem. In fact, it can create more problems for women in the future if the wrong women are voted into office.

The fact of the matter is, you aren't sexist if you don't believe a woman will stand up for your rights as a woman. You're gender or race or sexual orientation shouldn't have anything to do with who you elect into office. The only thing that should matter is their platform and what they truly believe in (whether or not they tell you the truth is a whole different story). Looking at a person's voting record rather than their appearance is crucial towards creating a more perfect society, whatever that may be in your opinion.

This is why I support Killer Mike. Our predecessors worked so hard to earn our right to vote, and it would be a betrayal to not utilize our power to the fullest extent. There should be no shame in voting for a old white man if he brings more attractive ideas to the table. Believing in what Hillary say is fine, don't get me wrong. But understanding both her and Sanders' voting records in more important towards your vote than gender ever should be in any election.