( CNN ) This article contains language that may be offensive to some . Since the news broke last weekend that Hillary Clinton had declared her candidacy , notable among the blitz of news stories are the many that refer to her as the mononymous `` Hillary , '' as if she were a pop star in a pantsuit . The New York Post published an item titled `` Lena Dunham backs Hillary for President '' while gossip site TMZ refers to the former FLOTUS , U.S. senator , and secretary of state on a first-name basis throughout its news story on the announcement . Even The New Republic posted a piece about the run called `` There 's Nothing Inevitable about Hillary . '' She 's famous enough by now to go by one name , but should she ? While Clinton is arguably more widely known than any of her to-date opponents , she 's also a former U.S. senator and secretary of state . She 's not Beyoncé . And yet , despite her decorated career in government , we 've long called Clinton by her first name , and her first name only , in a way we do n't do with men who have held similar , or even vaguely similar , positions of power . According to a University of Utah study , Clinton was called by her first name four times more than her 2008 rival , Barack Obama , and so it goes this time around . After all , Rand 's also running for president . So is Marco . When those guys declared , however , they got headlines that included their last names . There 's a very good reason for that . Presidential candidates are not just professionals , but professionals declaring their candidacy for a position that many consider to be the most powerful in the world . A position that not only deserves formality and respect , but within a global context seems to require it . Being president of the United States is a serious job . Are there `` Ted for President '' signs in our future ? Unlikely . Were we encouraged to `` Vote for Mitt '' ? Nope . The U.S. Army , meanwhile , is one of the most regimented organizations in the world , whose values put dignity and respect at top priority . Cadets do n't call their commanding officers by their first names , even -- maybe especially -- if they 're women . So why are we all referring to the possible next commander-in-chief as if we 're part of her circle of close pals ? Before you point to the fact that Clinton is not the first Clinton to cross this particular political threshold , the issue at hand is not one of practicality : The American public is smart enough to distinguish between this Clinton and that Clinton . George W. Bush was n't the first in his family to run for office , and when he did , legitimate newspapers did n't go around noting the `` W '' ( or even `` Dubya '' ) was up for the job . He was just Bush , as he should have been , just as Clinton is just Clinton , a woman who has done a very good job distinguishing herself from her husband without the need to be referred to by her first name in order to avoid a case of mistaken identity . Of course , the mononymity does n't seem to be unwelcome : Sections of Clinton 's website invite readers to `` Like Hillary on Facebook '' and read about `` Hillary 's Story , '' while the campaign 's official hashtag appears to be # Hillary2016 . Her campaign chairman reportedly emailed potential campaign donors yesterday with the missive that `` It 's official : Hillary 's running for President . '' Perhaps Clinton and her advisers believe the single name makes her more personable , and familiar . Maybe it 's an effort to distance Clinton from the other gender-based stereotype slapped on her the last time around , when she was `` the bitch '' to Sarah Palin 's `` ditz . '' But while we should like our president -- if not desire to have her as a personal friend -- it 's far more important to trust , and respect , her -- and that still requires a level of formality . It 's important for the American public to be able to imagine electing a leader not despite the fact that she 's a woman , or even because she 's a woman , but who , very simply , happens to be a woman . Whether she endorses the idea or not , calling Clinton by her first name serves to , at best , reinforce gender and workplace stereotypes -- that women need to be `` approachable , '' not abrasive or aloof , in order to get the job done and be liked while doing it -- and at worst , infantilize and put her in her place . There 's a reason , after all , that we address current and former presidents as Mr. President when we meet them , and not `` Hey , Jimmy ! '' And if there 's a reason Hillary Clinton will be elected as our next president , it 's not because she let us call her Hillary .
Peggy Drexler : Media , even candidate herself call Hillary just 'Clinton . ' This reinforces stereotypes about women needing to be approachable . She says especially in global context , trust , respect important for the potential leader of free world , not familiarity . Just 'Clinton ' not appropriate .