Sarah Palin’s vice presidential run is shattering glass ceilings and more.

As the first female nominated to represent the Republican Party in the nation’s most important election, Palin has been thrust into the national spotlight.

A relative unknown — Palin currently serves as governor of Alaska — proponents are hailing her as a refreshing voice in the debate, a self-proclaimed hockey mom who dares to balance the challenges of family and career.

Yet that same persona which millions of Americans find so appealing has become an easy target of opponents and detractors. After all, if women truly seek equal rights, then Palin should be equally able to handle the criticism and comments, logic might say.

We believe Palin’s candidacy could realign the perceived barriers for women in politics as manners are set aside in the name of politics.

Already this year, we’ve watched as the national discourse struggles to realign itself with the first African-American candidate for president. Obama’s opponents have to choose their words wisely in criticizing him and his platform without making inferences of race, which would rightly raise the national ire.

Yet, where is that same line for a hockey-mom governor, who truly believes she can balance the challenges of being a heartbeat away from the presidency with raising a family of four that includes a special-needs infant?

Sen. Hillary Clinton never sought to project the middle-America image of a nurturing hockey, mom, who can balance an infant on her hip while planning campaign strategy. In her failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination Clinton has cultivated a focused image of a career woman — a savvy political insider who puts her work first. Her ability to balance family and work were never an issue.

Now, in acknowledging — even celebrating — her femininity and motherhood, Palin opens the door for opponents to examine and attack nearly every area of her life … fair or not.