As a woman, it has been truly unsettling to sit on the sidelines of the current presidential election. Watching and hearing about the rhetoric, insults, and scandals has gotten a bit tiring. However, it’s something we must do to know who our vote belongs to. Our vote will not only influence us for the time being, but for the generations that follow.
It’s no secret that this has been the most public, cynical, and rather frightening election in history. To come to the point where people refuse to even vote for their own party makes you realize the true level of detriment that has risen.
For centuries, women have had to work hard for their rights. It is even a privilege to vote. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Is it fair to have all of the hard work that those before us have done be diminished and forgotten? I don’t think so.
If you’re on the fence about voting, think about this: the person you’re voting for will be able to make all types of decisions about women. About their bodies, about how much they’ll get paid, about how they will be treated at school and at work, about the rights they will receive.
You’re not just going to click a box on a screen. You’re going to pick someone who will represent our country, what it stands for, how it will be seen, and how you will be treated. Your choice will impact millions of people all over the world.
Your mom who works day and night to keep your family stable will be affected. Your grandpa who is a veteran will be affected. Your brother who is a member of the LGBT community will be affected. Your neighbor who has a son across the world that wants to come visit will be affected. You, will be affected.
We as millennials (and women) are the drivers of social progress and change. We deserve to have just as much input as a man. Quite frankly, we don’t deserve a President who barely even sees women as human beings. We deserve to be treated equally and listened to on the same levels as men.
You might not agree with what either candidate stands for but understand that your options, for lack of better word, are bleak. Sometimes it comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils and you don’t have to like Hillary or accept everything she presents, but you know that she is a woman just like us who lives and works in the same world that we do. No, you should not vote for a woman just because she is a woman but with options like these – at least you know you’ll have someone on your side. History could be made and who knows, maybe in years to come your daughter or sister or cousin will say that they want to be the next woman president. It’s not something you hear too often.
Your vote is your voice. Please use it. Don’t let the privilege you have that so many wish for go to waste, because about 100 years ago, you wouldn’t have even had the option.