I think we can all agree that this campaign season has been rough to get through. And although most people are usually pretty over political campaigns by the end, I think it’s safe to say that this year that sentiment is felt by nearly everyone. We have been showered with good, bad, and bizarre press about two candidates for months now. So some may be slightly taken aback when they look at their ballots to see five candidates staring back at them on Election Day. That’s right! Hillary and Donald aren’t the only ones with bubbles next to their names. The others include Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Gloria Estela La Riva.
Notice that three of the five candidates I just named are women, and one of them is the nominee of a major party and is currently favored to win the 2016 Presidential Election. Considering we haven’t even reached the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, this is a pretty big step and in the right direction (even though others may disagree…).
Women have faced a lot of ridicule over the years for voicing their opinion about political matters. Even through this campaign, female candidates have received backlash from the media and their male counterparts. Often, the criticisms are not even about their political opinions. Remember when Carly Fiorina’s pink nail polish was brought up in an interview?
Despite the backlash they have endured for decades, women have blazed a path on the political stage. And although that path may still be bumpy, it has been laid, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere. So, men, it’s time to get used to women making laws, wearing pantsuits, and being leaders of this country.
Don’t forget to go out and vote on November 8th!
The images in this article are not the property of the author or Her Campus UC Davis.