Allison Wharton
Asst. Arts & Features Editor
It is clear to say this election has been 0lled with unnecessary drama. However, it is disheartening that one detail of this election has been overlooked. Hillary Clinton is the first woman to be nominated for a major party and could very well be the next president of the United States. History like this should be considered a massive leap towards gender equality, but it feels as if it is a disappointing step back.
Multiple reasons and investigations have caused suspicion regarding Clinton’s qualifications. The thirty thousand emails, for instance, are obliterated into cyber-space, never to be heard from again and Clinton refusing to discuss it shows a lack of responsibility. She has spent four years as Secretary of State and what has she done to prove herself? She just sat in the room watching as our servicemen and women hunted and killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011 – over five years ago.
She has spent the majority of her campaign humiliating her opponent, though he has done the same. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, has been recently accused of sexually assaulting women. Hillary Clinton, while acknowledging the accusations, has misdirected the blame towards the accusers. This has not been the first time she has stood by her husband while he was unfaithful to her. She was by his side during the lawsuits and multiple scandals that have threatened the Clintons’ political empire.
According to The Washington Post, “Her responses have forced her to walk a fine line during the campaign on sexual assault issues, even as she builds strong political support among female voters.”
I question after all this time why Hillary Clinton stayed with her husband and if she has a right to speak about sexual assault.
While she promises the alleviation of student loans and a path to citizenship for all hopeful immigrants, I can’t shake the suspicion that those promises will remain empty for four, possibly eight years.
Clinton does support and encourage female rights, she may even be defined as a feminist, but I choose to see beyond gender and look at character.
I see Clinton as an untrustworthy human being and an unworthy representation of females.
Citizens that are voting for Clinton just based on her gender are also back-tracking the gender equality movement as well. A female should only be president if she is qualified, just like every other candidate.
Feminism is meant to work toward achieving equality of the sexes and this election is just creating more partisanship. The battle for gender equality should be defined as creating an equal world for all and to conduct it out of spite is not the moral path.