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Looking For Madam President

06.12.16
Looking For Madam President
World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, Former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and UN Women's Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Empowering Women and Girls

As a kid, I felt so disappointed when I looked at the faces of indistinguishable white men stamped on the presidential place mat I used during meals. Not one woman. I remember thinking: maybe I can help change that.

Now that a female presidency is a real possibility, some of my friends who identify as feminists are less than excited. They argue that a candidate’s gender shouldn’t be so important in this day and age.

But it’s no coincidence that all 43 previous presidents were men. If young people truly want to reach a point where gender will not play any role in a presidential race we first need to work towards breaking the glass ceiling.

It matters to me that a candidate has lived through and experienced the struggles of being a woman, and can personally bring our voices to the table. Electing a woman president–whether it happens in 2016 or later on–would give young girls like me the hope that one day we too can become president.

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