Yes, I am a feminist, and, yes, I am voting for Bernie Sanders.

Do I believe that it is time for the United States to elect its first female president? Hell yes! However, I refuse to condition my vote merely on gender because that would implicate gender-based bias.

As much as I would like to see a woman as president and commander in chief of the United States, I am not willing to fall into senseless categorizations that merely create division between people and disengagement from the real issues that affect women today.

I have been pulled away from Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the Democratic Party nomination because I do not feel adequately represented by the historical context of her former policies — policies that directly contradict her current rhetoric. I am an immigrant woman who has struggled to reach the American dream, which most of my generation deemed as an idealistic myth until the angry but passionate Bernie Sanders provided us with the hope that the dream is still possible to reach.

Distrust of politicians is not a new sentiment. Many people like me feel frustrated by rhetorical speeches filled with illusory promises that will never be fulfilled.

I cannot trust that Clinton will advocate for my interests.

Throughout her political career, she has demonstrated that her actions contradict her words. I am not inspired by the message of her campaign. She represents the establishment of corporate America.

On the other side of the spectrum, Sanders makes me feel empowered. His campaign focuses on a commitment toward the people. He has demonstrated this commitment by refusing to be financed by super PACs and by delivering a consistent political message for more than 30 years.

Sanders’ campaign has revived the trust in politicians that we lost and has infused a notion that our votes actually count.

Today, women and children represent 70 percent of America’s poor. The main causes for this include lack of educational opportunities and, therefore, lack of decent-paying jobs. The most affected women are black and immigrant women because only 27 percent of them hold a bachelor’s degree.

Now my question is, can this issue be resolved by a person who happens to be a woman but refuses to raise the minimum wage to a livable wage? Who implicitly declines to fight economic inequality because of the limitations derived by a hidden agenda that is financed by corporations and banks? Who is unable to commit to an affordable educational reform? Who does not view health care as a human right?

Again, Sanders is a man, but he is a man who truly cares about the well-being of people. He wants to revive the middle class and motivate people to care about the political machine that governs their lives. This is what a democracy should be.

I dream of a future where tolerance and solidarity rule the values of society, where children have access to opportunities notwithstanding the income of their parents, where individuals do not die for lack of access to health care, and where people who work 40 hours per week have a decent life. I am convinced that Bernie Sanders will achieve this, and that is why I am voting for him.

I truly believe this is not about a gender competition, but that this is about real change.

Alejandra Rosero is an immigration attorney for Dolores Street Community Services in San Francisco.