Having Hillary Clinton as the first female presidential nominee is an important milestone for this country. Not only does it change the conversation for women’s rights and gender equality, it also greatly impacts young girls and women across the country.

When I think of Hillary Clinton running for president, what comes to my mind is the “role model effect.” This is the idea that if someone from an underrepresented group runs for a higher office, other members of that group are more likely or encouraged to run for office.

Growing up, young girls are sometimes discouraged from striving for roles of power and authority. Although nowadays more women hold positions of power, it is still much more common to find men in these roles. Because of this inequality, it is tremendous to see a woman like Hillary Clinton running for the most powerful position in the country.

She is proving to people that sex and gender do not limit her aspirations. She does not let gender stereotypes or norms define her goals. I can only hope that with this nomination, Hillary Clinton is inspiring other women to obtain powerful positions and realize their goals.