Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up: Debate edition. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

Having Six Women Running for President Changes Everything

By Rachel Thomas, Marie Claire

When there is only one woman on the debate stage, she faces the impossible challenge of meeting voters’ expectations for what a woman should be. However, when there are multiple women on the stage, they show that there is no one way to be a woman just like there is no one way to be a leader. Lean In’s Rachel Thomas writes, “The real victory isn’t when one woman makes it into the room. It’s when the second one does, and all the ones after.”

You can read the full article here.

And while you’re here, check out Lean In’s new initiative, #GetOutTheBias.

The Women Worked Together In Last Night’s Debate. This Race Could Use More Of That.

By Lily Herman, Refinery29

Both Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand called out Joe Biden on the debate stage for his past views on policies targeted towards women. Although neither on their questions made a huge impact, their willingness to hold their male counterparts accountable shows how women are changing the dynamics of this race. It’s no longer acceptable to take a backseat on women’s issues.

You can read the full article here.

I’m grateful for every single woman running for president. Even Marianne Williamson.

By Alyssa Rosenberg, Washington Post

The women candidates did not give a perfect performance these past debates, but that’s okay! America is undergoing a cultural shift. As women become more visible, they are gaining the freedom to show a myriad of strengths and weaknesses without losing their credibility. Alyssa Rosenberg calls equality “a bunch of flawed women being considered genuinely plausible contenders for the post.”

You can read the full article here.

The first round of Democratic debates courted female voters. The second is ignoring them.

By Anna North, Vox

In June, women were at the forefront of the debates both on stage and off as candidates grappled over issues such as equal pay and reproductive health. However, this past debate, women’s issues barely came up at all. As women continue to demand more recognition in politics, how will they react to their concerns being treated like a trend?

You can read the full article here.

The Sexism of “Likability”

By Greta Baxter, Ms. Magazine

Candidates, on and off the debate stage, are often measured according to their likability. But likability is usually grounded in sexism that negatively impacts women candidates, and is not an accurate sign of their popularity. Greta Baxter says, “We shouldn’t be worried about proving that they’re ‘likable’…we should be concerned about dismantling the structures that fool us into thinking they never could be.”

You can read the full article here.

Five stories not enough? Sign-up for the Women & Politics Institute’s weekly newsletter, the WeLead Reader.