Remember Hillary Clinton? How about Elizabeth Warren? What do you remember about them? Can you tell me what they wanted to do if they were elected president? Or do you remember pantsuits? Hair cuts? Voices? Tonight, a poem.

IF A WOMAN

 If a woman asked you for
A letter of recommendation
On a job she does well,
Would you mention her clothes?
Her sparkling eyes?
Her shining hair?
Or would you talk about
Her great performance,
Her promptness,|
Her attention to details?

 If a woman wrote a thesis
And you were her advisor,
And she was a top student,
Would you write notes about her looks,
Her likeability,
How nice she looks against the
Background of the lab?

 If a woman came to you for
Advice on how to complete a task,
Would you tell her what to wear?
How to do her hair?
How much make up she should put on?
Whether she should be a grandmother?

 If a woman works for you,
And any of these things happen,
You are likely to
Give her a letter of recommendation
For the job she did,
Not for the job of a supermodel.
If a woman wrote a thesis,
You are likely to make notes on
How well she collected her data,
And how well she interpreted it,
As well as the stray misplaced comma.
If a woman came to you for advice
You would explain the procedure,
Go over the regulations,
And help her get the job done.

If a woman ran for president,
Would the media notice
Her command of complex issues?
How well she understands
What is needed to solve serious problems?
Or her attention to details such as
How much her ideas will cost?
Or would they notice
Her hair,
Her eyes,
Her make up,
Her voice?

 What about if a man ran for president?
Would anyone notice his hair?
His tie?
His shoes?
Or would they listen to what he said?