Friday was the final publishing day for beloved feminist website The Toast, and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (who employs at least two Toast contributors as staffers) came to pay her respects in the form of a blog.
“I said only if it was funny and [Hillary’s team] said ‘she was thinking more heartfelt?’ and here we are,†managing editor Nicole Chung explained in the post’s intro.
Heartfelt it was. Clinton began by explaining that she “wanted to take a moment to reflect on what this space — and spaces like it — mean for women.â€
Clinton proceeded to write about an IRL female space that had meant a great deal to her during her time in the Senate.
“When I arrived in the Senate in 2001, I was one of just 13 women, and I remember how thankful I was for my female colleagues on both sides of the aisle. My friend Barbara Mikulski famously started a tradition of dinner parties for all the women of the Senate. Over a glass of wine — okay, maybe three — we’d give each other support, advice, and highly relevant tips to navigate being in such an extreme minority.â€
The post was filed under “advice†and Clinton certainly had that to spare.
“As we look back at what this site has meant to so many of you, I hope you’ll also look forward and consider how you might make your voice heard in whatever arenas matter most to you. Speak your opinion more fervently in your classes if you’re a student, or at meetings in your workplace. Proudly take credit for your ideas. Have confidence in the value of your contributions. And if the space you’re in doesn’t have room for your voice, don’t be afraid to carve out a space of your own.â€
Read the post in full on The Toast.