Is Hillary Campaigning For Cool Points?

After Hillary Clinton announced her plans to run for president two weeks ago, she just about broke the Internet. Even if you weren’t enthusiastically reblogging Clinton gifs or throwing shade with #WhyImNotVotingForHillary, you were weighing Clinton against her stauncher counterparts and wondering if you’d vote her in to bring some gender diversity to the Oval Office.

To top off the social media uproar, she has more or less already started campaigning. As Clinton cruised the Midwest, news outlets took an interest in the developing image of a woman who is cool and down-to-earth, or at least trying to be.

The New York Times has published more than one article dissecting Clinton’s Ohio visit to Chipotle to grab a chicken burrito for road trip fuel. From her own camp, Clinton has released a bunch of friendly, bright photos of her chatting with average-looking people, hanging out with factory workers and fellow politicians, and taking selfies with kids in Iowa.

Let’s face it: Clinton has an undeniably impressive background and major reputation for being a boss. Clinton is a Wellesley College and Yale Law School alumna, and apart from looking flossy post-grad in her designer pantsuits, Clinton has also served as a New York State Senator and as the United States Secretary of State.

According to the Pew Research Center, however, Clinton was held in American opinion as being “tough” and “smart” as opposed to “down-to-earth” and “friendly” during the 2008 election season. Therefore, it only makes sense that Clinton is working hard to shift America’s perception and ensure she that slam-dunks the presidency this time around.

Although every presidential candidate needs their platform, party, and publicity to come together smoothly in order to make waves, the fact that Clinton is trying so hard to develop this image begs the question: Is the campaign process more difficult for Clinton because she is a woman?

Since day one, no matter what Clinton is doing, the praise and criticism surrounding her has been gendered. Clinton is like a patron saint of women in male-dominated fields due to the way she has held her own and dealt with not merely harsh but degrading, sexist political commentary on her policies and actions.

If there is one thing that America did get right, it’s that Clinton is tough. I bet she loves her haters.

So while Clinton’s attempt to come off as a completely normal and regular woman may be motivated by the need for good publicity, it’s still nice to see that even Hillary Clinton, FLOTUS, bad bitch and our best bet for a female president, takes cute selfies, chills with her squad, and will drop everything when that burrito bowl craving hits.