Looking For Madam President

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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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