In our society one of the most basic divisions we can look to in a conversation on diversity is that of sex. Unfortunately, rather than appreciate the differences between the sexes, too often this division has been emphasized and exploited through institutionalized sexism. I was told I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to believe my parents and teachers, but once I told a friend that I wanted to be the first woman president of the United States, and he told me that women weren’t presidents. As I grew older, the issues became more complex — it wasn’t necessarily that I couldn’t pursue a career in a field dominated by men, but that I would have to work much harder. I don’t believe women should have to chose between being feminine and being respected in the career world, but sometimes that choice feels all too real. We have a long way to go in our society in terms of embracing sex and gender diversity, and in order to move toward a more equal society we need to work to eliminate double standards and sexist behavior.

As a woman studying politics, I’ve come to appreciate the thin line between being too feminine and too masculine in a man’s world. We can look no further than Michelle Obama’s arms, Sarah Palin’s wardrobe or Hillary Clinton’s campaign to see how sexist tendencies influence our ability to assess the value of women in politics. Palin and I are unlikely to ever see eye to eye, but I couldn’t see how her clothes had any bearing on her competency as a world leader. Obama and Clinton have  Juris Doctorates from Ivy League law schools and are successful women in their own right. Still, the media write about Obama’s sleeveless dresses, and Clinton was grilled for being too much of a hawk but then scolded for being too vulnerable when she finally shed a tear on the campaign trail. These are women on the national stage, but I can attest to women in my own life, myself included, who are equally dissatisfied with the stereotypes and double standards that face us.

We should appreciate both sexes for the diverse traits and qualities they embody, rather than devaluing those most associated with womanhood. Sexism is pervasive in our society, affecting not only our future choices, but also often manifesting in physical violence. Tomorrow will be the annual Take Back the Night march and vigil, a reminder of the one in six women in the U.S. who will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. We cannot pretend that there isn’t a problem with inequality between the sexes, and we all have a responsibility to work toward greater equality for women.