I support Hillary Rodham Clinton as the next president of the United States of America. There. I said it.  

At first, I was “feeling the Bern.” I proudly stuck a “Bernie 2016” button on my backpack and signed up for Students Supporting Sanders. But upon careful inspection of both candidates, I feel Clinton is more qualified to be the next president and aligns well with my values surrounding Israel, gun control, reproductive justice and equal rights.

My favorite line I get when I tell people I support Clinton is, “Well, you are just voting with your vagina.” That is my favorite because it assumes my tiny lady brain could not possibly handle the responsibility of democracy.

And we all know upon seeing the possibility of a female president, a surge of estrogen coursed through my body, causing menstrual blood to pour from my vagina in solidarity with Hillary Clinton.

Last time I checked, my vagina wasn’t a registered voter.

When people tell me I am only voting for Clinton because she is a woman, I get offended. When I respond to them and tell them I am offended, they simply dismiss my anger as PMS. It’s a lose-lose situation.

We really need to stop denying women their emotions, experiences and political opinions because they might be on their period. Also, some women don’t get periods and some women don’t have vaginas, so assuming someone who is a woman is voting with their maybe non-existent vagina is cisnormative.

The truth is, Clinton is a boss. She has remained cool and collected under rigorous criticism, her goals for the US are realistic and attainable, her experience is prime and, yes, she is a woman. Oh boy, light the torches and grab the pitchforks.

If Clinton is elected, she will be the first female president, and to deny this as a factor in my choice would be a lie. Men have been calling the shots for too long, not because there haven’t been any qualified female candidates, but because institutional and societal sexism have suppressed them. Actions speak louder than words. Saying The United States supports and trusts women is one thing, but electing a qualified female candidate is putting truth into those words.

Now that there is a qualified, determined female candidate willing to put up with sexist bullshit, oh #hillyes, I will support her.

So go ahead and tell me I am a vagina voter. On election day my vagina and I will march proudly to the voting booth.