Grow up America, it’s time we stopped polarizing gender roles. Why do we care so much about whether Hillary Clinton’s defining moment was a manipulation, too emotional, real or courageous? Let’s give her, as well as all the men who are running against her, credit for walking into a room with a smile on their faces after rejection or breaking the no-tears rule. How about removing the double standard where expressing emotion is seen as vulnerability in men but a weakness in women.

We all recognize that Hillary has a deep hunger for the presidency; however, the appetites of male candidates seem to be selling points. Historically, women were supposed to pretend they didn’t want anything at all for themselves. And this notion still has legs – the message for Hillary is act aloof to the point of indifference. Try to pursue the nomination without acting like you’re a pursuer.

Granted, voters’ reactions to her are complex, sometimes ambivalent. Hillary’s presentation can grate on the nerves of even those who agree with her ideas. And this can have a polarizing effect in and of itelf. To complicate matters, women who vote for her are called biased if they do, disloyal if they don’t.

But, as Sandwiched Boomers, we all know that nothing is exactly as it seems. We’ve dealt with family conflict and understood the complexity of different opinions on various issues. We’ver cried and been strong, in the end knowing that it’s all part of the human experience.