Election cycle exposes gender biases

By Roxana Amparo, Editor-in-Chief

The arena of politics is known to be a man’s place.

But with a woman candidate running for president of the U.S., women are being constantly reminded of the struggles of being a woman.

“A lot of men think a women can’t run for president of the United States. They wonder why a woman is even running for president now,” Contra Costa College biochemistry major Lizbeth Martinez said.

“They think a woman can’t run the country. I think a lot of women are put down, and because Donald Trump is a man he can do what he wants to do without anyone telling him anything to try to stop him.”

The United States’ presidential election on Tuesday will determine the leader of the country for the next four years: Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican Party nominee Donald Trump.

As Clinton is getting 49 percent of the vote and Trump 46 percent, according to BBC News’ Oct. 29 polls, the personal attacks on Clinton proceed. However she maintains her composure despite being told she is not presidential material.

“She doesn’t have the look. She doesn’t have the stamina,” Trump said during the first Presidential Debate on Sept. 26. “I said she doesn’t have the stamina, and I don’t believe she does have the stamina. To be president of this country, you need tremendous stamina,” he said.

For centuries women have been held back from taking their nations’ leadership roles simply for being women.

CCC political science professor Vanna Gonzales said, “It’s really hard for women in politics. It’s exceptional that Hillary has had a huge leadership role in the Democratic Party, but a lot of people would argue that’s because (her husband) Bill Clinton was president.”

In the Constitution of the United States Article II, Section 1, “The executive power shall be vested in the President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years…” By using the masculine pronoun he, the Constitution disregards women as president. But women everywhere are inspired by Clinton’s bravery. Sociology major Raquel Antolin said, “I am with her. It’s amazing how much of a role model she is for women because she is running for president.”

In 1872, the first woman to run for president of the U.S., Victoria Woodhull, an American leader of the women’s suffrage movement, broke the glass ceiling for women, despite not even having the right to vote yet.

Antolin said, “It’s seen that if the U.S. has a woman for president then all other countries will see (the country) as a joke.”

During a campaign rally at Wingham High School in New Hampshire on Aug. 6, Trump said, “Unstable Hillary Clinton lacks the judgment, temperament and moral character to lead this country.”

With constant shaming, calling out and even interrupting her 55 times during the first presidential debate, the mockery of women continues from Trump.

Antolin said, “I don’t have the words to explain why we let Donald Trump get so far. Is this normal? What is America doing if we let a person like that even become a nominee for president. I think everyone is undermining Hillary’s capability to run the country.”

Gonzales said there is an organization called Emily’s List, an American political action committee, that aims to elect pro-choice, Democratic women candidates to office.

“Women are turned off by politics for precisely this reason,” Gonzales said. “There is a problem with women, with what is often called the ‘pipeline.’ It doesn’t have to do with women not wanting to run, but it has to do with the way the (male-dominated) establishment works. It is very difficult (for women) to get the money (to run)”