So why do I think it only seems like women are held to a higher standard? Because in my opinion Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann haven’t been pushed any harder than Barack Obama, John McCain, or Mitt Romney. But in the United States, every boy is brought up and told that they are never, ever supposed to lay a hand on a woman. As an extension of that lesson, even the verbal badgering of female candidates seems like it’s something our parents would ground us for. The American people are still unable to see past gender stereotypes of protecting women. When men are asked tough questions, they should be able to stand up for themselves and fight back. When women are asked tough questions, it’s seen as mean. Simply, many believe that women shouldn’t have to experience the harsh environment of running for president, a belief that leaves those people thinking that women are inherently unqualified to hold such an office.

Women aren’t held to a different standard than men. We just haven’t yet seen a woman (in my opinion) strong-willed enough to take politics like a man, or find another way to prove their merit as a presidential candidate.

As a woman considering running for political office in the future, I truly don’t want to be seen as a female candidate when that day comes. I want to be seen as the best candidate, regardless of my gender. I’m still waiting for a female politician that can prove themselves. Perhaps the setup of the system is biased toward men, but I don’t see that as an entirely bad thing.

Maybe Wallace went a little too far by asking Bachmann if she was a flake, but that comment is plain disrespectful, regardless of whether she is a man or a woman. Besides the fact that her repeated gaffes don’t make her a “flake” as much as they make her misinformed, which is a much bigger concern I have as she gets closer to the presidency.

One of these days, a woman will be president, and that will be a historical moment for this country. However, we still want to make sure that we are absolutely certain that that woman is the right person for this country.