Last Tuesday, as I watched Obama’s victory speech, I was struck with the realization that I was watching history. That very moment was perhaps the most historically significant of my lifetime to date. His was a victory generations in the making. No one knows what an Obama administration will bring. We cannot predict the future, but we all know the past. The election of our first black president is the culmination of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream, Rosa Parks’ iron will and the work of every black American who refused to take “no” for an answer. No matter their political leaning, at this profound moment in history, all Americans should feel pride to see how far their country has come.
During this same election season, there has been another, more subtle historical change. For the first time, women have shared equally in the political spotlight. The potential first ladies were not content to take back seats. Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama were vocal in their opinions, each admitting to disagree with her husband’s stances at times. These two women prove the old adage that behind every great man is a great woman. Both parties sent women head-to-head with their male opponents. Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin stood on stage with Barack Obama, John McCain and Joe Biden as equals. Politics aside, these two women deserve praise for the courage they showed in so boldly embracing uncharted waters.
Not only are these women bold, but they are feminine, too. For decades, if a woman in politics wanted to compete with a man, she had to be like a man. Gone are the 1980s when women dressed in suits meant to copy men’s fashion. No more women in shoulder pads and ties. Instead we see Clinton in a bright blue suit and Palin in fiery red heels. Michelle Obama became a fashion icon in a daring purple dress, while Cindy McCain radiated timeless elegance in a gold skirt-suit on election night. Their colors shine light on a world traditionally cast in shades of gray.
These women are not afraid to stand out. They do not attempt to blend in. They are moms, they are attractive and they are charming. They are also incredibly smart and individually successful. They prove that being feminine and being powerful are not mutually exclusive. The stage is set like never before for women to rise to the top of our political system. Abigail Adams, in a letter to her husband, John Adams, while he was working to write the Constitution, said, “I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.” Since the founding of our nation, political women have worked to secure equality, one step at a time. The women of today follow in the footsteps of Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony and Sandra Day O’Connor. We stand on the shoulders of giants, having removed our stilettos first.
Neily Todd is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at neily.p.todd@vanderbilt.edu.
