With Kamala Harris the presumptive Democrat nominee, is America finally ready for a woman president?

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On night three of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, former president Donald Trump walked out to James Brown's "It's a Man, Man's World."

But is it?

Tuesday, also in Milwaukee, it was a woman's world as Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at her first campaign rally as a presidential candidate. It's been eight years since Hillary Clinton's historic run; is American finally ready to elect its first woman president?

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"I think it's the perfect positive storm, right is that we have people in this country, that desperately want something new. They want hope, they want innovation. They want healing, unification and ideas," said former Illinois Congresswoman Marie Newman.

Newman said Harris has all those quality, and that gender means less today than it did when Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote in key swing states to Trump in 2016.

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"Going back to the 90's, she got a great deal of media exposure, and she was criticized for everything for what she wore, whether her hair was long, whether her hair was short, there were all kinds of gendered criticisms," said Connie Mixon, political science professor at Elmhurst College.

And there have also been culture changes in the last few years. The combination of the #MeToo movement and the overturning of Roe v. Wade and abortion rights has put a focus on women's issues and candidates.

"So now they have somebody that actually can hold that torch and run with it in a very defined way," Newman said.

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Newman believes that voters today are looking for a candidate that is defined, has an opinion and a path, regardless of gender. Additionally, she said voters are more accepting of women candidates who use tough language.

So, will 2024 be the year? Mixon said the U.S. is getting there, but challenges remain.

"There is a great deal of sexism and racism still in the United States and it permeates through our politics," she said.

Political experts say it will likely be independent suburban women in swing states who will decide this election.