We’ve been talking about her a lot lately on the blog, and as I told the story (and as I was there) various people have talked to me about her, why I like her, and what she’s done.
And I learned more about her as we’ve all been talking.
Somehow, she is even more amazing than I thought she was in the first place.
For one thing, did you know she never changed her name from Hillary Rodham? I think that’s so awesome. She’s proud of her name and who she is, and she never changed it.
It was only because of Arkansas voters decades ago who couldn’t deal with the first lady of the state keeping her last name that she had to campaign as Mrs. Bill Clinton.
I’m sad for the concessions she’s had to make for Americans who aren’t always ready for her awesomeness. But I’m happy she’s never shied away from who she is. She’s never become a little wallflower to please America.
It’s cool when women do that now, but remember how old she is. Women are already in an uphill battle for equality in this country – right now – in 2014. But she grew up decades ago, when it was, I’m sure, probably even harder to stand up and say “Yo! I’m equal. I deserve equal treatment. And I’ll accept nothing less.”
Did you also know she wrote to NASA when she was about 13, asking how to become an astronaut… NASA wrote back saying they’re not interested in female astronauts! This is the world Hillary grew up in – the one we’re in now with the injustice amplified by so, so much!
And she’s never wavered. She’s never asked, “What if people are right and I’m not as good or as capable as the boys?” (I guess I can’t really claim she’s never asked that, because who knows what she thinks in her head, or what doubts she gets at 3 in the morning while lying in bed…)
But I do know that she has consistently fought hard, been competitive, been goal-oriented, and she’s achieved many of the things she set out to do.
I think she’s a fabulous role model, and I hope against all hope that she is indeed the next President of the United States. I can think of no one better – and certainly no better first woman to go down in the history books than Hillary Rodham.
(oh and p.s. If you want to find out more cool stuff about Hillary Clinton – this article is a fun place to start.)