NPR listener Josh and his daughter, Penelope, recently had a conversation about gender and politics, which became more involving than they might realize. When she found out "a girl" is running for president, Penelope insisted her father vote for Hillary Clinton because she'd be the first female president.

"Okay, it's really sweet," NPR noted. In a way it is, because Penelope is 8-years old. She's also learning an important lesson many voters don't know as adults.

In asking "Is it Okay to Vote for Hillary Clinton Because She's a Woman?," NPR points to an interview with "liberal feminist" author Rebecca Traister. In response to that question, Traister didn't just answer yes, but complained "you couldn't say it." She also noted, with original emphasis:

And I remember thinking, Since when is it progressively OK that a country that's 51 percent female has only been governed by men? And that more than 80 percent of Congress is male? Why is it OK to not care about that?

Those who have argued the opposite point have also received criticism. Rapper Killer Mike repeated the sentiment from activist Jane Elliot that "a uterus doesn’t qualify" someone for the presidency. While Sanders and others stood by Killer Mike for his comments, he took flak from liberal feminists.

The article also discussed "different demographic groups, different priorities." That includes how "for some, like Traister, seeing yourself represented in office can itself be an issue," as NPR notes.

In the discussion of the first woman president, many forgot that another, Republican, woman was also running. Hillary has outlasted Carly Fiorina, who has since dropped out and did not enjoy a front-runner status. But, as a "liberal feminist" it's not likely Traister would support the woman in a Fiorina-Sanders race.

Fiorina herself told women not to vote for a candidate for that reason:

To young girls and women across the country, I say: do not let others define you. Do not listen to anyone who says you have to vote a certain way or for a certain candidate because you're a woman. That is not feminism.

There's not only the habit of grouping candidates and voters together on gender, but issues and voters as well. Conservative women lambasted the Democratic "War on Women" meme with the reminder that all issues are women's issues, not just free birth control and abortion access. Pro-life women also took issue with the meme.

Hillary supports late-term abortion. Why would this pro-life voter choose her over a man who supports conservative views on fundamental issues because of shared body parts?

And, Hillary loses young women to Bernie Sanders in the primary. Those women recognize that it's more important to vote for a candidate based on their views, not on their gender.

Jeff Greenfield, former political analyst for CNN, CBS, and ABC, set the record straight. "You could almost regard that as a triumph for feminism," he said.

To answer Traister's question of "since when is it progressively OK..." it's okay, "progressively" or not, when voters respect and acknowledge the benefits of meritocracy over diversity just for the sake of it.