Senator/Secretary
In 2000, the year right after Hillary Clinton’s last year in the White House, the people of New York elected her Senator. Jumping from the position of the First Lady of the United States to Senator, it became apparent very quickly that Clinton would have no problem making the shift from the woman behind the man, to the woman herself.
The first test that Hillary Clinton would have to endure as Senator came in the form of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Destruction and terror spread through downtown New York City, as extremist suicide bombers, whose own belief discourages the rights of women, crashed airplanes into the twin tower buildings of the world trade center. Helping to secure $20 million for the rebuilding of the city, Clinton proved herself to be strong capable and effective in helping to rebuild the city, earning reelection to the senate in 2006. During Clinton’s second term as senator, she dealt with issues that would stereotypically have not been expected from a woman senator. In addition to women's rights and child issues, Clinton also secured access to health insurance for members of the National Guard and the Marines. She appealed to rural areas by setting up structures that allow small towns and rural areas to take their businesses nation wide. On top of that, she appealed strongly to farmers, creating a farm to fork plan that allowed for them to expand their businesses on a local level. During her time as Senator, Clinton managed to appeal to groups of voters a majority of women fail to connect with. In doing so, Clinton proved herself to be a strong and capable politician, despite the societal expectations. It is this drive and determination that would eventually result in her campaign for president in 2008. |
While Obama, may have won the nomination and eventually the election, Clinton managed to secure a spot in his cabinet as Secretary of State, further proving her ability to overcome the challenges of being a woman in the professional workplace. Dealing with countries such as Iran, Clinton had to overcome not only resist in the U.S., but also in other countries where the rights of women are not the same as men. In doing so, Clinton worked to ensure these rights for women as well as for children in developing areas. In addition to human rights, Clinton also worked to maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a war that would otherwise have continued to perpetuate further conflict in the middle east.
In her professional life, Clinton has managed to prove herself as a woman capable of overcoming the gender norms set before her. At every stage in her life, she has passed the obstacles, and even when she is disappointed, such as the election of 2008, she comes back, stronger and more determined than ever. An attitude that will eventually earn her the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. |