Ranier Ford

Abigail Adams and Hillary Clinton Roles in Fighting for

Womens Equality in Political Fields
Since the establishment of different genders, there have been three stages of
globalized masculinity (masculinity that appeared in similar styles throughout the world
and varying cultures). Conquest was the first stage and it was based on colonial
conquests carried out by white men to exploit indigenous cultures. Conquest
concentrated on power through violence and exploited dominance that took advantage of
both women and men. It was purely based on physical power and domination. After the
vast majority of indigenous cultures had been broken and turned into European
cultures, masculinity began transitioning into what is known as Empire. The traits of
Empire Masculinity entailed European men and colonists beginning to civilize other
empires by bringing women over from their homeland to recreate the familial lifestyle.

During the time that the Empire stage of globalized masculinity was at its
strongest, the United States was in the process of emerging as a nation. Political ideas
and policies were being established at aggressive rates. However, the development of the
nation had one large, and greatly overlooked problem; the underutilization of womens
political potential. As was expected during the Empire age, women were expected to stay
home as caretakers and child bearers. The women lived fairly silent lives with no
participation in political or leadership activities.

It is rare to hear stories of influential women in the late 1700s. However, there
are some women who broke the barriers holding them back from their potential, one of
which was Abigail Adams. Adams was the wife of the second president of the United
States, John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of
the United States. She was highly educated and opinionated about womens property and
opportunity rights, as well as slaverys role in threatening the American democratic
experiment (Wiki, Abigail Adams). Adams fought the notion that women should be
content with the simple role of being companions to their husbands, and requested that
the Continental Congress be more generous and favorable than their ancestors. In
addition to being politically active, Adams had a groundbreaking relationship with her
husband, and it was her that he would turn to for political correspondence and opinion.
In Joseph Ellis book, The Founding Brothers, he illustrates John and Abigail Adams
monumental relationship by emphasizing the influence that Abigail had in Johns
political campaign.

Chapter five of Ellis book mainly focuses on the collaborations between John
Adams and Thomas Jefferson, and how their split became one of the main reasons that
Abigail had a chance to become so involved in the political world. Her initiation into the
male-dominated political world began when John began complaining about the
impotency and redundancy of his role as the Vice President. He also felt as though he
had been ostracized from Washingtons inner circle, since the president feared his place
as the head of the Senate had conflicting interests with the executive branch. John
believed that being elected President was his right after being a dedicated Vice President

for two terms, as well as that becoming the President was his given compensation.
Although he was aware that being elected for President came with many burdens, he
refused to believe that anything unexpected could come along as well. His counterpart
knew otherwise. Abigail was the first person to suggest to John that because of the
Presidency, he was going to have to resume his old collaboration with Thomas Jefferson.
When the votes were revealed, Abigails predictions proved to be right; John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson were going to be working very closely together. Adams took the
presidency by an electoral vote of 71-68 and Jefferson became his Vice President.
Despite the expectations that the two men would make amends and focus on bettering
their country, they were unable to sustain any friendship or collaboration after their
previous disputes. It was through simple actions similar to disputing her husbands
opinion that Abigail became such a monumental figure. She became an icon by
advocating for equal rights for women and fighting for equality as a whole.

Unsurprisingly, as we have developed as a nation, masculinity has advanced

along with it. Humans now exist in an era of masculinity known as Transnational
Business Masculinity, which is essentially taking the leading role as an emergent
gendered world order. It is associated with the world economy and the globalization of a
neoliberal market (Connell, 2011). Transnational Business Masculinity has created an
outlet for embodiment and organization of mens domination of gender as a whole.
Although it does not always require physical force to maintain dominance like its
counterparts (Conquest and Empire), business masculinity is implicated by structural
violence experienced by women. The neoliberal policies that facilitate the expansion of

trade and finance minimize state-based regulations and public sector costs; consequently
reinforcing the masculinity that ultimately undermines social welfare (Connell, 2011).

Although women have more opportunities to be strong political figures as time

progresses, it is still obvious that they are fighting invisible forces in attempts to do so.
Known as the glass ceiling, it is the idea that women and other minorities face an
unreachable barrier that keeps them from rising to the upper ranks of male-dominated
fields, regardless of their qualifications or achievements. Just like Abigail Adams, there
are women fighting the predisposed notion that they are meant to stay below the men in
the political world. A prime example of this female figure is Hillary Clinton. Even
though her candidacy in 2008 did not result in the way that she was hoping, Clinton has
made a significant impact on the role of women in politics and other leadership positions.
Similar to Adams advocating for womens property and opportunity rights, Clinton has
had a long history of advocating for equal opportunities. During the annual Women in
the World Summit, Clinton made a strong point that, fighting to give women and girls a
fighting chance isnt a nice thing to-do. It isnt some luxury that we get to when we have
time on our hands to spend. This is a core imperative for every human being in every
society. If we do not continue the campaign for womens rights and opportunities, the
world we want to live, the country we all love and cherish, will not be what it should
be(Women in the World, 2013). It is through messages like this that she has begun
spreading hope to eradicate predisposed perceptions of womens roles as well as
challenging the ever-strong masculinities throughout the ages.

Both Abigail Adams and Hillary Clinton have become monumental political
figures in womens fight for equal opportunities and political power. Though they are
doing so in completely separate time periods and stages of (somewhat oppressive)
masculinity, they are and were slowly paving the way in womens long but progressive
battle. One can only hope that we will continue to be inspired by the influences that these
women have modeled, and continue their legacy of fighting for equal rights.

Works Cited:
Connell, R W. Hegemonic Masculinity: Rethinking the Concept. 9thth ed. N.p.: McGraw
Hill Higher Education, 2011. Print.
Ellis, Joseph J. The Founding Brothers. N.p.: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2005.
N. pag. Print.
"2013 Women in the World Summit by Women in the World." The New Livestream.
N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.