Hillary Clinton's status as the first female major-party nominee for president of the U.S. was salient to many throughout her campaign. Although some were excited by the possibility of a woman being elected, others felt that Clinton's gender was not important in their decision making. To better understand this divide, during the primary season of the summer of 2016, we surveyed 387 women about their knowledge of gender inequality and sexism, their endorsement of sexist beliefs, their experiences with sexism, and their support for Clinton and female candidates. Results indicate that women's experiences with sexism, opposition to sexist beliefs, and knowledge of gender inequality were positively related to support for Hillary Clinton and female candidates. These results suggest that increasing individuals' awareness of current gender inequalities may impact their views of candidates and, in the end, lead the country to achieve greater gender equality among political leadership.
