Is Meghan McCain a benefit or a liability to the Republican Party? The punk-rock-loving, gay rights supporting Columbia alumni has divided both liberals and conservatives alike, describing her politics as “being faithful to the original core values of the GOP while open to the realities of our changing world.” Her brand of “New Age Republicanism” seems ambivalent at times, and her recent Twitter photo scandal probably didn’t do much to spread the said “core values” of the GOP, but let’s cut her some slack. This girl is doing more than her Republican detractors in actively redefining the GOP’s image and in questioning the party’s relevance in relation to the new generation of Americans. Here are a couple of (hopefully positive) points we can take from her:

1.    Yes, there are hot females within the GOP. And yes, they listen to Iggy Pop.

Regarding her photo controversy, McCain is justified in pointing out the existing double standard in the public’s judgment of how a Republican should look like. We have guys like Republican Congressman Aaron Schock, whose topless beach photos exposing his perfectly tanned abs are fawned on by the media. On the other hand, McCain is “seen as an embarrassment to the Republican Party” when she poses in a casual tank top that similarly reveals her, um, “assets.” Does every female Republican need to have an appearance that screams “conservative” ten feet away? McCain, with her love for tank tops, tattoos, and all things pop culture, is a refreshing alternative from the stereotypical image of a one-sided, ultra-conservative Republican female so often portrayed in the media today. Ultimately, public image matters, and McCain’s relevance to modern culture might actually be effective in attracting similar female libertarians who are on the fence about voting Republican.

2.    It’s possible to support laissez-faire capitalism, advocate gay rights, and love the environment at the same time.

No, really, who knew? Amid the continuing divide between right and left and the increase in independent voters, Meghan McCain wants everyone to know that “the [Republican] party is at a place where social issues shouldn’t be the issues that define the party.” Thus even if she is liberal on social issues, her immense trust and belief in Republican values—small government and a strong national defense—is ultimately why she remains a member of the GOP.

In an interview with Larry King, McCain asserted that all she wants to do “is to show women that you don’t have to be Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham to have a place in the Republican Party…you don’t have to think one way and fit into this one box in order to be a member of the Republican Party.” Admittedly she still has a long way to go before she is fully embraced by the GOP, but her role as a Republican who defies stereotype might actually work in changing the many public misconceptions about the Party.