ATLANTA — "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking," Senator Kamala Harris proclaimed.
It was a moment during the vice presidential debate that women across the nation found to be all too relatable.
Immediately afterward, the phrase became a trending topic all across social media. Many women said it so closely reminded them of what it was like to be a woman in a corporate/workplace setting, a woman in a patriarchal society -- and just a woman, period.
For one group, in particular, the plexiglass was reminiscent of the many barriers they face in professional settings while the distance served as the long winding path they very often trot towards leadership.
Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman to be chosen as a Vice Presidential candidate for a major party candidate, was no exception to the looming stereotypes that follow Black women throughout corporate politics, and just plain ole everyday life. Thousands of tweets from Black women across the world showed how "seen" they felt during that viral moment.
As one Twitter user mentioned, the challenge for Harris was not only winning the debate against the current vice president but managing to do so without the lens of the "strong/angry Black woman" stereotype.
Black women and men alike noted the additional obstacles Harris had to battle the entire time.
Often subject to the historically racist caricature of an "angry Black woman," President Trump demonstrated how Black women often have their tone and attitude policed, instead of the substance of their ideas engaged, when he called her a "monster" in the morning.
It wasn't just critical men who came under scrutiny, however. The support from white women was also subject to criticism by some Black women across social media, as it came with its own juxtapositions.
Harris, also the first graduate of a historically Black college or university to vie for the high-ranking White House position, not only inspired dialogue around women utilizing their voice, but also inspired an upcoming generation of young leaders.
Another Twitter user said that she hopes young girls everywhere learn how to declare their voice when being talked over.