Whether one supports Clinton or Trump, is “Bernie or Bust” or believes the only viable choice for our future Commander in Chief is an Independent candidate, almost all Americans can come together to agree on one issue: the 2016 Presidential race has been a tumultuous one, at best. From people to value systems, families to faces, it seems that nothing has been off limits and both the candidates and the media are lying in wait to attack anything that moves. These attacks have brought out more than a few faux pas against feminism, even as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has become the first woman in our nation's history to receive the nomination for a major political party. With so many gaffes, it is hard to ignore that sexism, which many deny exists in our political and social atmosphere, is wreaking havoc on the campaign trail.

It is important to note that feminism is defined as "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes" by Merriam-Webster. It is not a movement that begs for the destruction of men, it is not women asking for preferential treatment, and it certainly is not a movement based in hatred. Feminism is a movement that believes that men and women should be given an equal opportunity to exist as full human beings and fights to deconstruct the different types of oppression brought about by extreme gender roles. These forced gender roles dehumanize both men and women of all races, ethnicities and creeds. Feminism is simply about having choices and being judged on who you are, not what you should be. In this context, it is almost impossible not to notice how many attacks on those involved in this election are laden with misogyny and archaic gender ideals.

Women’s Worth and Physical Appearance on the Campaign Trail

It is no secret that a woman’s worth is often tied to her physical appearance in our society. Studies from Cornell University and the University of Texas at Austin found that a woman is more likely to get a promotion if she is thinner, taller, younger and has model good looks. Although beauty is subjective, culture often dictates that beauty is determined by one’s ability to fit into a gender role and the possession of certain racial traits. It should surprise no one that women’s looks were brought up quite often on the campaign trail instead of their qualifications. Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett Packard CEO who along with many others fought to become the Republican Presidential candidate, came under fire when her ability to lead was questioned based on her beauty. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Donald Trump was quoted as saying, “Look at that face!" as well as "Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!” Melania Trump’s ability to be an effective First Lady was also based on her beauty. In the wake of the RNC plagiarism scandal, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said that it didn't matter if she plagiarized her speech because she was "stunningly attractive", as if a First Lady is only successful if people want to look at her. This idea of physical beauty being the most important quality a woman can offer was reinforced when a cartoon was released that compared a “masculine” First Lady Michelle Obama next to a “feminine” Melania Trump, with the caption “The #FirstLady Will Be Great Again! #Trump2016.” This cartoon highlights not only the idea that a woman’s importance is in her perceived beauty, but also that Eurocentric beauty standards still work against women of color in America.

Eurocentric standards that have been implemented into American culture through years of conditioning and systemic racism show white bodies as refined and feminine while black and brown bodies are harsh and unattractive, allowing for such images of First Lady Michelle Obama to be normalized. She has not only helped to launch four separate initiatives during her time as First Lady, she also holds degrees from Princeton and Harvard, in addition to being an accomplished lawyer. She also happens to be very beautiful, though this has nothing to do with her success. Although it is clear she has been more than successful in life, an ideal that appreciates white bodies over black and brown ones has called her beauty into question, and therefore her importance and abilities. Men in this election have not been completely unscathed by the patriarchal gender roles that focus on physical appearance. Governor Chris Christie’s ability to lead was called into question due to his weight, Due to obesity being associated with health issues, being overweight is thought to signal that one is not physically strong and healthy, which are signs of masculinity that are often celebrated in our country. Although feminism has attempted to destroy gender roles so these outdated ideas can change from physical, superficial ideals to actual qualifications, this election proved there is still quite a lot of work to be done in dismantling a patriarchal value system.

Gender Roles and Aggression: Please Don’t Tell Women To Smile

As Fox News hosted the Republican Debate in August of 2015, Megyn Kelly came out swinging, asking then Republican nominee hopeful Donald Trump about his past remarks when referring to women as “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals” as well as his remarks to a contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice that he would “like to see her on her knees.” Now it must be made clear that Megyn Kelly was not wrong in asking such questions. This was a presidential debate where a journalist on a major news network was doing her job by asking tough questions so that the audience can not only see where a candidate stands on certain issues, but also see how a candidate handles the pressure before they enter one of the most pressure filled offices in the country. Donald Trump did not see it this way. In retaliation, he would later imply that Megyn Kelly’s aggression towards him was most likely due to menstruation. This is a common insult thrown at women, often used when a woman expresses aggression or any emotion that is not happiness. People continue to insult women this way despite the fact that while almost all women experience discomfort during their menstrual cycles, less then 32% of women actually experience what is known as PMS, and less then 8% actually experience PMDD, both of which cause severe irritability or anger. So it’s safe to say that when a woman shows aggression or anger, she may just be mad or simply doing her job as a journalist. The menstruation insult is often used to delegitimize the emotions of women that do not fit comfortably into expected gender roles. In 2016 this utterly unacceptable.

This is also reflected in how Hillary Clinton was told to smile by journalist Steve Clemmons. This is not a “if you criticize Hillary Clinton you’re a sexist" moment. This is a comment every woman has heard at least once in her life. Women are often told to smile so that they appear happier, more attractive and most importantly, less aggressive. The fear of the aggressive woman comes from lingering patriarchal values that place importance on gender roles. Men who are in power positions are often praised for their stoicism and aggression, so it is incredibly sexist for the first female candidate to be nominated to represent a major political party in a Presidential election to be asked to smile. It is important to note that men have not escaped criticism on how they show their aggression, or a lack thereof . Donald Trump, echoing the sentiments of a supporter at a rally, called Senator Ted Cruz a "p*ssy" due to his stance against waterboarding terrorists, showing that non-aggressive men are still viewed as weak, and oftentimes seen as "girly". It should be acceptable if a man chooses a non-aggressive approach or a woman chooses an aggressive approach, as humans tend to be multi-faceted in their beliefs and in decision making. Unfortunately, it is not, and is another example of how feminism was set back in this election.

Slut Shaming: No Matter Who You Support, It is Not Acceptable

Due to the social focus of feminism, one of the issues feminism has recently brought to the forefront is slut-shaming. The Oxford Dictionary describes it as "the action or fact of stigmatizing a woman for engaging in behavior judged to be promiscuous or sexually provocative." Men are often lauded for their sexual prowess and conquests, whereas women are socially destroyed for their real or imagined sexuality. An example being that former President Bill Clinton's reputation was only slightly marred by his affair with Monica Lewinsky after it came to light in 1998, while Lewinsky's reputation continues to be destroyed by the 18 year old scandal, despite the fact that both parties were involved in a consensual sexual relationship. Women are brutalized by slut-shaming. A sexual relationship is not even necessary to be slut-shamed in our society, as women who seem to present themselves to the public in a manner deemed less than modest are often victims of slut-shaming. Something as simple as First Lady Michelle Obama or Megyn Kelly showing their arms at political events can cause a firestorm of shame to be brought down upon them, as women's bodies are heavily policed to fit acceptable standards of both sexiness and modesty. Malia Obama dancing in public instead of attending the DNC caused a slut-shaming firestorm. Due to racial stereotypes that perceive women of color as naturally promiscuous, slut shaming can be especially harsh for young women of color. To bring true social equality between the sexes, it is important to address this double standard in the public perception of sexuality.

During this election, however, the most continuous and vicious slut-shaming has been reserved for Melania Trump, a former model and the third wife of the Republican candidate Donald Trump. During her modeling career she posed nude for GQ and a French men’s magazine. Both liberals and conservatives alike have used this against the potential First Lady as a judgement of her character, both sides believing that she does not possess the class necessary to fill the role of First Lady. No matter what candidate a person believes should sit in the Oval Office, acting as though the baring of a woman's body determines the amount of respect that she deserves is unacceptable. It was not illegal, it did not harm anyone and most importantly, it was her choice as a model doing her job. Her choice does not mean she is not an intelligent woman. Intelligence and sexuality are not mutually exclusive.

To show the double standard, it is important to note that her husband Donald Trump has been married three times, has been on the cover of playboy, has bragged about his own sexual prowess, and has talked about his sexual organs in public. This does not seem to disqualify him from running for the most important office in the United States nor has his ability to run his business been questioned due to his perceived sexuality. Bankruptcies and lawsuits may cause many to question his business savvy, but his sexuality won’t make some question him. His wife should be treated with that same respect and given the same benefit of the doubt. Question her support for certain policies, question whether or not one should support her husband, but please do not judge her worth on her willingness to express her sexuality, especially if men are not being held to the same standard. If someone finds themselves willing to tear down a woman simply because she is willing to show some skin, they should question why they find themselves so threatened by a woman who is secure in her sexual expression.

Even though feminism has taken quite the hit this election cycle, the fact that Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton is the first woman to be the Presidential nominee for a major political party shows that the world is moving forward, even if it's not as quickly as many hoped. It's a huge win for feminism. One may not like her policies, believe she is a liar, or dislike that she is part of the establishment, but no one can take away the fact that she is the first woman to make it this far. It's a historical moment for the women of America. We've come a long way, baby, but we still have a long way to go.