No, this has nothing to do with puppies. But a lot to do with the 2016 election in the USA.
One night in 11th grade, I was asked out on a date by a boy on whom I had a tremendous crush. The kind where you walk down a different hallway to class, hoping to have a 2 second sighting of him. And being in alt if he smiled at you. Puppy love.
I was so excited when he asked me out. I remember picking out my outfit carefully, discussing the upcoming date for hours with my friends on the phone. And then the night arrived.
We went to see “Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid” in the movie theater in Mount Kisco, NY. After the movie, in the parking lot of the theater, he asked me to “go steady” with him. And he gave me an ID bracelet with his name on it, to seal the deal.
I still remember how breathtakingly surprised and elated I was.
“Going steady” was a normal expression and a normal dating ritual at the time, although it seems so strange now. I was marked as his girlfriend and no one else better intrude. And I could show off that he loved me so much that he marked me as his girlfriend and no one else better intrude. That sounds insane now.
It was like being branded.
There was no reciprocity. There was no “boyfriend, you need to wear this to show all the other girls that they can’t come near you, or else.” It was the polar opposite of equality.
Which brings us to 2016. We have the opportunity to have a woman as President of the United States of America.
And here I am, voicing my political views on this blog. Which I wasn’t going to do. I started out supporting Bernie Sanders, but well before the primaries, I realized that it would be impossible to pay for everything that he proposed, although I think that we deserve everything that he proposed.
I have always liked Hillary Clinton a lot. And I think that Bernie Sanders helped move her platform in the direction I prefer. I think she’ll be an awesome president. My support of her has nothing to do with the fact that she’s a woman.
Until today. Today I thought back to what it meant to “go steady.” About how it was more special than just telling your friends you were dating someone. It was about showing off that I wore his name on a bracelet on my wrist. That I somehow counted more as girlfriend because of it. That I didn’t matter as much standing alone without the ID bracelet symbolizing that I was an appendage of his.
And now I know that another reason why I should vote for Hillary Clinton is because she is a woman. We have come to the point in the development of our society that a woman has the equal right to be President. She doesn’t need an ID bracelet to run for President.
She stands alone. And that is a powerful message for my daughters and granddaughters and my son and grandsons.
It’s about freedom and equality.
It matters that Hillary Clinton is a woman.
saneteachers 
I enjoyed reading this.
I believe Hills will be great and I’m so excited to be living in this time, when history – the good kind – will be made come Tuesday.
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I hope so. But even if she doesn’t win, having a woman running is tremendous. I have come late to this cause, because I just assume it is something that is happening. I like her because of who she is and what she will do. The fact that she is a woman was beside the point. Until I thought back to that ID bracelet. And it hit me how powerful her being a woman is. Thanks for reading this!
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My friend… if she doesn’t win, I don’t let myself think of that at all 😕
sending positive vibes to your country to do the right thing x
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Thank you 😃
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Barb, it’s your election and none of our business… but no, what you’ll all do will impact the world, so please please please do it the only sensible way!
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I can’t imagine the horrors if Trump is elected. But I also don’t consider this blog a place to beat people over their heads with the obvious. The news keeps talking about the ” undecided” voters. I can’t imagine anyone is undecided. Even if one lives under a rock, you must be aware of this election. My point is that once I decided that Bernie Sanders, while I love his views and abilities, is not pragmatic enough, my vote would go for Hillary. But the fact that she is a woman didn’t play into that at all. It’s the fact that she has a mountain of experience, both domestic and foreign, and a platform that I think will be good for our country is the reason why. It wasn’t until thinking about that silly ID bracelet that it hit home how important it also is, that she is a woman. No matter what I write here, I will not sway anyone’s vote. I wanted to write about my ah-hah moment about the importance of the fact that she’s a woman. Conversely, if a woman like Sarah Palin was running, I would be frightened for our future and the fact that she is a woman would not play into that decision. I think this comment was longer than my post! I do love the way Louis C.K. described the choices.
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So, assuming that Hillary wins, what does that make Bill? Will he be known as the “First Man” or will they be known as “Former and Mrs. President?” What do we call him now?
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First Gentleman
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Fingers, toes crossed!!!
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And praying.
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😥 argggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! what was THAT all about?! 😦 😦 😦
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I can’t. I just can’t.
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No.words.
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Excellent post! Would you feel the same way if Condeleeza Rice was running? I agree that it is time to have a woman president, but to do so and sacrifice every ounce of integrity and character? Is it really worth that just to say “she was the first woman president?” And please, no one comment that she isn’t as bad as Trump, you are then just being inttellectually dishonest.
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If Condeleeza Rice were to be president, that would make her the first black, female president which would be incredibly awesome. However, I am so diametrically opposed to the Republican party platform that I wouldn’t vote for Condeleeza Rice because she’s a Republican.
I’ve broken all my blog rules by bringing my political opinions into the fray.
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