by Taylor Wallace ’21

Two weeks ago, the Vice Presidential Debate took place between Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. The night, although much less chaotic than the first Presidential debate, had its intense moments. One moment that acquired a lot of attention was when Pence started to speak over Harris during her allotted time period and she responded by telling him, “I’m speaking” numerous times. As a result, she received backlash from people criticizing her communication techniques.

This is a prime example of the double standard where if a woman has a passionate voice she is labeled as bossy or out of control but for a man, they’re just strong and assertive. This double standard is extremely insulting and damaging for it suggests that women aren’t supposed to be in charge because they are too “emotional.” Harris’s “I’m speaking” represents all that women in positions of power have to go through when it comes to being overlooked and underestimated due to their gender. I personally am inspired by Kamala’s persistence and refusal to back down because she is proof that women can do anything.