Alright alright alright it's been roughly one week since the first official presidential debate of the 2016 election! Let's see where we are.

Number of interruptions by Donald Trump: 70

Number of times Donald Trump has offended someone: Too many to count

Number of times the actual issues have been discussed: Wait elections are about the issues?

Ok very funny, classic joke of our country's election becoming a sick twisted theater production instead of a presentation of legitimate directions to take our country in. In all seriousness, however, there has been little to no discussion about the issues our country faces domestically and abroad. The few times there has been talk, it turns into a soapbox for Donald Trump to offend yet another group of people. One of these groups has been women. Trump's misogynistic comments are sickening, but I'm pleased to say that I've seen not only an increase in the amount of backlash towards these abhorrent, outdated viewpoints, but also the power in these responses. For instance, one of Clinton's most recent campaigns ads depicts girls looking in the mirror while Trump's disgusting sexist words play in the background. The message this sends resonates loud and clear-Trump poses a danger to women's equality and is not the type of president we want for a group that comprises half the world's population- or anyone really. While sexism has been a prominent issue in this year's election, it is not a new topic. Misogyny dates back thousands of years, and with it has come the repression of women. Yet while fifty percent of the world's people are women, their voices are seldom heard on the national stage. We are about to elect the most powerful world leader, made all the more exciting by the fact that the U.S. may actually have its first woman president.

This is a huge milestone and yet there has been essentially no discussion of what the next leader of the U.S.-- the next leader of a global superpower-- will do for the women of the world. The protests against Trump's misogyny are noteworthy. I am not saying otherwise. However, this is only one aspect of the struggle for gender equality, and neither candidate seems to be proposing any methods for empowering women otherwise. What about combating domestic violence? What about helping to achieve quality education for girls everywhere? What about empowering women to enter the workforce around the globe? And then how about mitigating sexism in the workplace? What about pushing for women's suffrage in places that have yet to grant this human right? There are a multitude of ways to go about achieving these objectives. Our next president could initiate a nation-wide campaign against domestic violence, speak in schools, or simply release a statement come October (which is domestic violence awareness month). Or the president-elect could have the Secretary of State visit brothels and get an insight into human trafficking. Or perhaps the U.S. could wield its global influence to encourage the International Monetary Fund to help advance microloans in developing countries, which have allowed numerous women to start their own enterprises. This, in turn has enabled women to overcome cultural and religious barriers that limit their freedom.

Or how about our presidential candidates simply voice an opinion on the matter?

The issues that have been prominent in this election such as national security, race relations, and the economy are important, there's no disputing that. However, women transcend all those issues. Terrorist groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram are committing acts of violence against women and also coercing them to commit acts of terrorism. Minority women and single mothers (often the two intersect) comprise a significant portion of those living in poverty. This is a simplification of the issues women across all borders face. However, the struggle for women's rights is integrated into every other important issue. In spite of this, women's rights seem to take a backseat.

I want to know what our next leader will do to improve the lives of women, at home and abroad. I want to see an end to the petty attacks on women put out by Donald Trump. I want to see real, concrete suggestions as to how we can help half the world's population. It's time to put the issue on the national stage in the spotlight. Time to ensure that women feel empowered and are on equal footing with everyone else. The year is 2016. We just had our first presidential debate with the first female presidential candidate. So now it's time to enable women to achieve their full potential and allow them to actually hold up half the sky.