On the eve of finding out who our next president will be, I find it important to note that there's a chance history will be made and women's roles will be drastically altered. If Hillary Clinton is elected president, she will become the first woman elected to the White House. This would be a historic election and an equally significant one. This reaches farther than politics; even if you don't support Hillary Clinton's beliefs or opinions, you should recognize this remarkable moment in women's history. Back in July, Hillary Clinton already made history as the first woman presidential nominee of a major political party. If Hillary Clinton is elected, not only would there be the first woman as president right after the first African-American president, but it would be women's votes who put her there.

This is exactly what suffragists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Ida B. Wells fought for. Their determination and strength to progress women's rights, took 72 years to accomplish. The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, inspired the suffrage movement. At this convention, the beginning of the 72-year fight for suffrage occurred with the drafting of Stanton's "Declaration of Sentiments, Grievances, and Resolutions". Stanton's piece echoed the preamble of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.” Equality was the goal, but the first step was gaining the long overdue right for women to vote. Throughout the next several decades, the women's suffrage movement was at full throttle. The women of Seneca Falls hoped for “a series of conventions embracing every part of the country.”, and that's exactly what happened. In fact, Women’s Rights Conventions were held regularly from 1850 until the start of the Civil War. This was a unifying point for women, where they worked together to achieve rights, that were previously unavailable and not reachable for women. In 1920, the vote was won, becoming the 19th amendment. All women today can thank these suffragists for their right to vote.

Polls show that women are using their right to vote, to vote for Hillary Clinton: The CBS News/New York Times poll from Nov. 3, 2016 found 50 percent of women supporting Clinton, and 36 percent for Trump. The ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Clinton getting 52 percent of the women compared to the 41 percent for Trump.The Los Angeles Times/USC poll finds that women favor Clinton, 49 percent to Trump's 41 percent.The Investor’s Business Daily/TIPP election polls also give Clinton an edge among women by 51 percent to 38 percent. All of these recent polls show that women are using their votes to support another woman, who represents change. These changes include more roles and jobs for women, that were previously not offered to them. For example, Hillary Clinton has pledged to appoint women to half her Cabinet posts. That one change would transform our political landscape for generations. In all of US history, there has been only 30 women in Cabinet Positions. If Hillary is elected, it would raise that total by a quarter — in just her first term. Additionally, if Hillary was elected it would inspire other women to become involved in politics, and strive to win such roles as president. Beyond political jobs for women, the election of the first woman president would teach young women and girls that nothing is unachievable and that gender doesn't determine what you can strive for.

We are in the midst of change, and it all depends on what happens on Election Day. The suffragists are smiling down at Hillary Clinton, seeing their dreams and hopes for women come to life. The American people have a choice to make a remarkable change, and instead of taking a step back, we can move forward. This would be a major step in feminism and how women are perceived. Through this election, young women and girls will see their potential and true abilities to preform jobs just as well as men. Unfortunately, I can't vote this election, but I for those who can: think about your daughters, wives, nieces, and granddaughters. Let's allow all women to progress in society and accomplish what women, for hundreds of years, were never able to .