Even if you aren’t an active member in politics you have heard her name. The first time may have come from history class when you learned about how her husband “did not have sexual relations with that woman.” And now, the former Secretary of State is running for President. Hillary Clinton is doing something very few have ever done before.

“Obviously, there hasn’t been a female president thus far, making Clinton a popular choice for voters who want to change history,” sophomore Trinity Ek notes.

Regardless of whether she wins the election, she is setting the path for women in leadership positions in the years to come.

What Mrs. Clinton chooses to do, how she chooses to talk, and what she chooses to wear are all things hyper-analyzed by the press and public, all things talked about by the country. Compared to her male counterparts, her demeanor and appearance are picked apart. Instead of focusing on her politics, a majority of the conversation is spent on her personality and/or looks.

Most of this stems from the news. Going back to 2008, there are news headlines that show how hard it is to be a female leader in our society by only a catchy tagline:

• “Rudov: Clinton’s ‘nagging voice’ is reason she lost male vote”
• “Shrill-ary: Is Clinton’s problem as basic as her voice?”
• “No Wonder Bill’s Afraid: Hillary Explodes with Rage at Benghazi Hearing”
• “Media Return To Deriding Hillary Clinton’s Laugh: “The Cackle,” A Record Scratch,” And Other Tired Attacks From The Debate”
• “Hillary Clinton No Makeup Photo”

Junior John Boals said, “Society insinuates that women in positions of power would be ruled by their emotions. These double standards can be overcome and women like Hillary Clinton are a good first step to resisting them.”

Sophomore Kenan Anderson agrees with Boals that Hillary Clinton is held to a higher standard than her male counterparts:  “I think she is [held to a higher standard], but I think the most interesting and important way she is viewed differently is that she is held to a standard of feminism that young women don’t think she has met (i.e. how she has handled Bill).”

This is indicative of an underlying problem that permeates throughout our society: the fact that there are so few women in leadership positions.

College is generally the first step to take on the path to leadership. When universities first began, they were one hundred percent male students. However, as the years have gone by this ratio has dramatically changed. In fact, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research “In 2003, there were 1.35 females for every male who graduated from a four-year college… That contrasts with 1960, when there were 1.6 males for every female graduating from a U.S. four-year college.”

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However, as both genders enter the workforce, females fall far behind. Even though thirty percent more females are graduating college, they are outpaced my men thirty-three to one when it comes to CEO positions.

John Boals gives some good advice: “A good first step to resolving the disparity would be supporting women in management positions and giving more women the opportunity to access those same positions.”

To do this we can look to things already going on in our own school. The Grit to Great Breakfast hosted in the cafeteria of Apple Valley High School demonstrates the support available for female students who want to pursue the highest-level of a career.  

“The students were offered the opportunity to network with female business professionals and hear their perspectives on what it’s like to be a female in a typically male-dominant career role,” says Talon news writer Kayla Kirtz, who covered the Grit to Great Breakfast in January in her article “The Breakfast of Champions”.

The Iron Maidens were one of the sponsors of the Grit to Great Breakfast. As an all-girl robotics team, they offer another opportunity for women to gain leadership positions within Apple Valley High School. In a previous Talon article, “The Iron Maidens are Stronger than Ever!” writer Leigh Rosenthal discussed how unique the Iron Maidens truly are. Cori Roberts, a sophomore on the Iron Maidens robotics team, said that in the world of robotics, an all-female team is pretty rare: “About 8/48 teams at state were all female. Compared to all male teams or co-ed teams, that’s not a lot.”

This problem continues to the workforce, with nearly three times as many men in STEM careers than women.  

Although there is no quick and easy solution to this, by encouraging women to participate in things that interest them, no matter what subject area, there will be less stigma around career fields. Whether this means more girls enrolling in shop classes or males taking home economic classes, allowing people to pursue their passions allows them the opportunity to enjoy the things they are passionate about.

Executive leader at Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, tells her audience to “lean in” in her cleverly titled bestseller Lean In. This means that instead of backing away from the table (not speaking up for what a woman believes in, not negotiating for more, not pushing for more) a woman should be an active member of her community. Sophomore Cori Roberts calls it “just going for it.”

“You never know when what you do will affect someone else. One of the biggest compliments my team [the Iron Maidens Robotics] ever got was from a mother telling us how good of role models we were for her daughters. We never expected to have that sort of impact, and if we hadn’t gone for it, we would never have inspired all these young girls.” 

Whether you call it “leaning in” or “just going for it” the message is clear: be an active participant in whatever sphere suits you as a female. Instead of backing away from new opportunities, take steps toward reaching your goals.

This is something any gender can participate in; with International Women’s Day on March 8th, 2016, this year’s theme is Pledge for Parity. The goal of this event is to aim for equality among men and women across the world. But how can you celebrate the day?

“Celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women,” according to the International Women’s Day website, “yet let’s also be aware progress has slowed in many places across the world, so urgent action is needed to accelerate gender parity.”

If you would like to participate in our local community, attend the 2nd Annual Women United International Women’s Day Celebration, March 6th, in Minneapolis. This year’s theme is MAKE IT HAPPEN!  Their goal is to bring powerful women together to celebrate and toast to each other’s accomplishments and future goals.

Even if Hillary Clinton does not achieve her goal of the Oval Office, she will forever serve as a reminder to little girls across the country: if you work hard, truly any goal can be achieved.

UPDATE:  The Iron Maidens qualified to the North Super Regional Tournament in Iowa in March and are hoping to attend the World Robotics Championships in St. Louis in April of 2016. In order to fund their trips, they are in need of support.

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