On the opening day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took time out of her busy schedule to attend an event called "Unconventional Women," to talk with a ballroom-full of young women about leadership and making it all work as a wife and mother in the face of continued stereotypes and unrealistic expectations.

The idea that we still have to talk about this stuff may be annoying, but the point about inequality is, unfortunately, one we need to keep making. And having examples like the Speaker of the House and her family anecdotes can do a lot to help inspire. Still, amid the charismatic Speaker's jovial comments about finally having time to wash her face once her children were grown, was a caution about the challenges of running for office: "You'd better love it," she said.