We have a long tradition in this country of the Y chromosome running the show – in our corporations, our legislatures and the White House. Many people argue that this is the way it’s always been and that our country isn’t ready for a president who may know a little more than George W. Bush about applying makeup.
But I disagree … and so does Laura Bush.
The beauty of this country is that America is a place where anyone, regardless of propriety, prominence or genetic makeup, can climb to the top of whatever metaphorical mountain they choose. But this, my friends, has proven to be more idealism than reality. After all, most of our past presidents hold degrees from Ivy League schools and come from families with both big bucks and political connections. So why are the ladies left hanging?
It’s been talked about since the 2004 election, that Hillary Clinton may be putting her hat into the ring in 2008, along with current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. And the TV show Commander in Chief has placed the possibility of a “Madam President” into the mainstream and primetime.
Laura Bush said on Monday that she is ready to vote a woman into office. The First Lady and I are both ready – how about the rest of the country?
Some Americans aren’t ready and may not be ready, even in the next 10 to 15 years. So, it’s up to you and me, sister, to change their minds. I believe part of the delay stems from our history and so-called “tradition.” We’ve never had a female president, so why change it? Some people are opposed to change, and that’s OK.
The problem with that mentality is that it suggests that a woman is somehow incapable of performing the tasks required of the president in the same manner as a man. This is flawed and offensive.
Our Founding Fathers didn’t limit the scope of the presidency to be exclusively masculine and with good reason. We’ve proven ourselves. There are women holding executive positions in companies that – gasp – are successful. And Louisiana’s first female senator is currently serving her second term.
I think the real challenge in electing America’s first female president is in choosing a candidate whose image and ideals align more with the “everyday” woman than the superpower, in-your-face reputation that precedes powerful women. Right or wrong, I think America is scared of a woman whose intellect and ideas go beyond conventional thought. She needs to be able to connect to voters in ways that “good ole boys” can’t or won’t.
I think she needs to embody what Eleanor Roosevelt so wisely noted about women: “A woman is like a tea bag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.”
So, America, let’s boil some water in 2008 and see how things turn out.
