It is what political scientists call a “double bind” — when doing what is expected to get elected also gets you in trouble.

For female political candidates, it is called another day at the office; so it is all the more remarkable not that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee for president, but that she got there at all.

If Clinton is thought of as tough, she’s not acting like a woman and just like that, the message is all wrong.

Todd Belt, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, explained in an interview that voters often perceive women candidates as weak. To counter that, women candidates have to sound tough, but doing so is also off-putting.

“So women have to engage in behavior that is considered masculine — be aggressive — and that makes them less electable,” Belt said.

“It is absolutely true in more ways that you can imagine,” said state Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, a 33-year political veteran.

“Even when I am endorsed, I am called ‘abrasive’ but when a man takes a tough stand or questions someone, no one says they are abrasive,” Kim said.

“You do what your voters want you to do and then people will label you with the ‘B’ word.”

Women candidates, Belt said, also bring some advantages to the ballot box.

Because this is the first time Democratic and Republican voters will have the chance to vote for a woman nominated by a major party for president, Clinton will be helped by voters who specifically want to vote for a woman.

“Women will vote for her because she is a woman. A lot of research indicates that old misogyny is going away and that will play in her favor,” said Belt.

The other side of the coin is the GOP candidate, Donald Trump, who has major problems attracting women voters.

Meda Chesney-Lind, chairwoman of University of Hawaii at Manoa Depart-ment of Women’s Studies, said in an email interview that Trump is in trouble.

“His relentless comments about Clinton’s appearance (as well as the appearance of other prominent women politicians like Elizabeth Warren) are astonishing. I also think that independent women are going to be troubled by them,” said Chesney-Lind.

Finally, just the act of electing a woman as president has an ever-broadening impact.

Belt says research shows that role models for young girls are very important.

“Strong female role models are likely to have an impact as the young women will be more politically active later in life,” Belt said.

So as the Democrats exit Philadelphia with the first woman topping the ticket, it is, as Belt said, a “really a big deal.”

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.