The DNC Has A Female Nominee
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The DNC Has A Female Nominee

Why am I not impressed?

8
The DNC Has A Female Nominee
J. Scott Applewhite

History took place this past week, as many of you probably have heard. A woman has become the presidential nominee of a major political party. Yet, I remain thoroughly underwhelmed by this historic event. At first I enjoyed the celebration on social media, my feminist side happy as could be, but that feeling faded when I remembered she is only the nominee. She isn’t president yet. Sure, Hillary has gone farther than any other women, and she put a few more cracks into the glass ceiling, but she hasn’t broken in it. Not that she alone could break it. The presidency isn’t the only occupation that distinctly lacks strong female leadership. The House of Representative still is less than 20 percent female, and there aren’t exactly equal amount of men and women working as CEOs or directors. And Hillary sure can’t do all of these jobs by herself. But the glass ceiling remaining unbroken wasn’t exactly why I was so underwhelmed this past Thursday.

The main reason I was underwhelmed is that becoming the party’s nominee doesn’t seem too impressive. There have been plenty of major party nominees since the beginning of the country. We don’t remember most of them. We don’t even bother to remember all of the U.S. Presidents, let alone a nominee. And the year is 2016. We finally nominated a woman for the position of president from a major political party in the year 2016. I feel like this should have happened a while ago. The country’s 200-years-old. It’s about time.

You may have also noticed how I keeping using the phrase “major political party.” There’s a reason. She isn’t even the first woman to run and get a nomination. Victoria Woodhull gets that honor. She was just nominated by an incredibly small party, the Equal Rights Party, in a time where women couldn’t even vote and she had zero chances of winning. She was nominated in 1872, if you were curious. So, excuse me for being slightly disappointed that it took us another 140 years to nominate a woman who actually stands a chance of winning the presidency.

Lastly, I wasn’t all too thrilled that during and after the convention political pundits and politicians kept stating stuff like, "Our daughters take for granted the fact that a woman can become president." It seems to be the reason why the older generation believes people my age preferred Bernie for president. It’s because we have taken for granted that a woman can be president. We don’t understand the importance of this event. That there is no way I have taken for granted the significance of the first female president. I was strangely reminded of the fact that we have never had a female president every time I looked at those posters with all the past presidents on them. I’m still reminded of this every time I hear the misogynistic "reasons" why Hillary can’t be president.

But, if Hillary does become president, I will stop feeling so underwhelmed. In fact, I may just feel the exact opposite: overwhelmed and entirely too happy – though admittedly my happiness will partially stem from relief that Donald Trump lost. I’ll get to witness history through the TV screen, just like I did eight years ago when Obama was elected President of the United States of America. So, to sum up this entirely too long article about the 2016 election, good job Hillary for getting this far, but keep going.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

89762
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

62081
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments