Hillary Clinton, as the 2016 Republican nominee, is the first woman to have her name on the Presidential ticket for a major party. Yet, she is constantly held to different standards than her opponent, Donald Trump, sometimes shrouding the magnitude of her accomplishment.  The double standard which exists among men and women demonstrates the need for a more female-respecting culture, one that acknowledges candidates like Clinton and Trump on the same level, regardless of their gender. They should be judged not on their gender identities, but rather on their actions as  political leaders.

The double standard between the two party nominees that exists today is clearly eminent, whether it be in questions Clinton is asked in interviews or the standard by which the two candidates are judged.

When people hear about the Republican candidate Donald Trump, most think of his plan for a border wall with Mexico or his well-known slogan, “Make America Great Again”. Trump is questioned constantly on how he will carry out his plans, hoping to gain insight on his unconventional thought processes.

Clinton, on the other hand, has been documented as being asked questions regarding her outfits and her family life. Like Clinton, Trump is both a parent and a grandparent, but he is rarely questioned as often on how he plans to juggle his family and political responsibilities or what type of suit he will be wearing to the next debate. The opinions and actions of women in the political sphere are interpreted differently than those of a man. Clinton’s policies are said to be taken with a grain of salt by some as they question her fit for office based upon her general moodiness or time of the month.

Despite the drawbacks, being a female candidate has some advantages. If elected, Clinton would become the first female President of the United States, an honor and recognition unlike any other. This would also be an opportunity to further the progress of women’s rights, a task that is personal to her. She has been striving towards this goal for many years in her political experience. She would finally push the boundaries of the glass ceiling, standards and expected limitations for women set by society. It would set a model for young girls by showing them that they can do anything they desire and that gender should not be a factor in accomplishing their goals.

Taking into consideration comments Trump has made regarding women, being a female candidate running against Donald Trump can cause conflict. Just recently, a tape was released documenting a conversation Trump had with a TV host in which he promoted and joked about the sexual abuse and assault of women. Trump pushed the scandal aside, labeling it as “locker room talk”. These types of comments, however, may prove to be detrimental, as this is not the first instance he has spoken ill of women. From crude comments regarding his daughter and her body to degrading women by calling them derogatory names to the recent coming forward of alleged sexual assault victims, Donald Trump has a track record when it comes to his deleterious relationship with women and their rights.

With the possibility of Clinton as President, it would be expected that women would finally be better represented in politics, with an emphasis placed on furthering the progress of female aspirations. In this election, to truly see the core values of each candidate, there needs to be no double standard; the only judgment of candidates should be on their actions rather than first considering their genders.