Having Hillary Clinton in this presidential race forces pundits, commentators, journalists and scholars to say "he or she" when talking about the candidates, and therefore the office of the presidency. This alone is an important step. Referring to the presidency in non-sexist language opens the door for envisioning men and women in that leadership role.
Our language not only reflects how we see the world, but defines it. Studies show that when readers encounter the generic "he," they envision men, not men and women, as the referent. For 200 plus years too many have referred to the presidency with the generic "he." Hearing society refer to the next president as he or she gets us closer to envisioning a more egalitarian society. The sky's the limit now!
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