When I was a little girl, I had the best catchphrase, “I Kate MacLachlan, don’t tell me what to do.” I couldn’t really pronounce the ‘M’ in my last name, my grammar was awful, and I doubt it sounded very intimidating coming from a three year old. But, trust me, that explains exactly the kind of person that I am. I never wanted anyone to tell me that I couldn’t do something, that I couldn’t achieve as much as I wanted in life. I still don’t. For me, success has meant going to a great university, pursuing a job I’m passionate about, getting to decide what I wanted my life to look like.
Somewhere along the line, it was made very clear that by being a girl, it would be much harder to achieve those things. People would tell me what to do and they would feel comfortable telling me my place in the world because I am girl. I would talk about wanting my career and people would respond with asking when, if I had a job, would I get married. They would ask when I would stop working so that I could take care of the children I was supposed to have. They asked why I would want to leave my state to go to college when I should focus on what is affordable so I could settle down soon after.
I’m not saying it’s bad to want those things. I want to get married. I want kids. And maybe, sometime once I’m done traveling the world, I could settle down in one place. But I don’t want to sacrifice what I love, I don’t want to give up my job, and I certainly don’t want to do it because I’m supposed to as a woman.
Why am I saying all of this? Because when I saw that Hillary Clinton had announced that she is running for president again, I cried. If that’s embarrassing, I don’t care. This is important. There is a woman running for president and she has the full endorsement of our current president. And I think she has a real chance of winning.
Growing up, I never got to have a president that was my own sex. Of course there have been female role models, but when every kid’s hand shoots up in excitement when asked if they want to be president one day, girls couldn’t say it with the same certainty because we had never actually seen it done before. Not that women are often given their rights since, less than a hundred years ago, girls still couldn’t even vote in this country.
Let me be clear though. I am not excited just because she is a woman. I am not voting for her just because she is a woman. I am voting for her because Hillary is an extremely competent candidate, with experience being First Lady during a presidency with an economic surplus, being a member of Senate, and being Secretary of State. She has long-established relationships with members in our government and with many officials abroad. She is experienced, brilliant and dedicated. I am excited because she is such a compelling person to lead this country and that, beyond that, she also will get to prove to women all across the country that it’s possible. It’s possible for us to run one of the most powerful countries in the world. You don’t have to give up your career and you can still have a family. And, when I have those kids, if one of them is a girl, she might actually feel certain that she could actually become president.
Maybe Hillary won’t win elections, although we all know I want her to, but I do think she will become the Democratic candidate and even that is going further than a woman has ever gone. While there is a lot that still need to needs to be discussed about her, this moment is a celebration for me. It’s the start of a victory for women’s achievements and an encouragement to me that I can pursue what I love.
On HerCampus.com, we make it possible for girls to have a voice on their campuses all across the country. With Hillary as president, I think we have the opportunity to give a voice to girls everywhere.