Questions concerning Bill Clinton’s sexual exploits have arisen again and are throwing some serious shade on Hillary’s campaign. Donald Trump made waves when he told CBS News’ Face the Nation earlier this month, “I mean, what he did and what he has gone through, I think, is, frankly, terrible, especially if she wants to play the woman card.”

Since then, side comments and scathing remarks have tarnished Hillary’s call to women. Bernie Sanders called Bill’s behavior “deplorable” at the Democratic debate but said that he was annoyed that Hillary’s marital problems were distractions from a conversation about platform issues.

While the gesture was generous and I give him credit for shooting down a petty question, it minimizes the problem. For the 42nd president, Bill’s “sexual relations” with Monica Lewinsky never quite go away, but he has continued to be an icon for the Democratic Party. The fact that Bill’s relations with Lewinsky received an entire year of coverage, but that Juanita Broaddrick — a former Clinton volunteer who alleges he raped her — has not spent one day in court is confusing.

Of course, Clinton’s actions are not reflective of his wife. That is, except for when she gets involved with the dirty work. When The Drudge Report interviewed Broaddrick in 1999, she said Hillary had indirectly thanked her for keeping quiet.

“She caught me and took my hand and said, ‘I want you to know that we appreciate everything you do for Bill,'” Broaddrick said. “I started to turn away and she held onto my hand and reiterated her phrase — looking less friendly and repeated her statement — ‘Everything you do for Bill.’ I said nothing.”

Not only is this horrifying on a personal standpoint, but it also calls into question Hillary’s image as a defender of woman, a role she has worked hard for. In 1994, she helped create the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women. Planned Parenthood has endorsed her for “having their backs,” as has Lena Dunham, an avid spokesperson for feminist values in the 21st century. Women were a central aspect of her secretary of state tenure, which emphasized worldwide female empowerment.

And let’s not forget the fact that Hillary is and always has been a powerful woman. She was the first woman to be named a full partner at Rose Law Firm in the 1970s. For a time, she was the primary breadwinner for the Clinton family. She became the first female board member of Walmart. She continued breaking glass ceilings when she entered the political realm. She was criticized for playing “too big” of a role as the first lady and became the first female senator for New York in 2000.

I struggle to put these two identities together. She rails against gender norms and gives women an impressive political voice that does not back down — except for Broaddrick. She has called for victims of sexual violence to be “believed” except “until they are disbelieved based on evidence.”

For me, this matters, but I think it speaks more toward our culture and Clinton’s character than her efficacy as a political candidate. I know that if she wins, women would receive some much needed support in the US government. Although more than 50 countries have had female heads of state, the United States is not one of them. As we elect our 45th president, it is about time that we choose a woman.

Emily Shwake is a senior English major. She can be reached at eshwakedbk@gmail.com.