Gender Stereotypes in Politics
Gender stereotypes show themselves through multiple avenues, and women in politics understand that they face this bias when running for political positions, “be firm, but not angry. Be compassionate, but not weepy. Too much emotion: dangerous." [1] Referenced through Bauer, Huddy and Capelos outlined the belief that “voters hold gender stereotypes that depict women as more nurturing than aggressive, logical or ambitious. Gender stereotypes of women are at odds with voters' expectations of politicians as tough, ambitious, and strategic individuals. Thus, citizens will vote against a woman politician for being overly nice and insufficiently tough." [2] It is difficult to erase the bias that has been created when female candidates appear in elections. A strong example of where bias was present towards a woman was Shirley Chisholm. She attempted to campaign but much discrimination fell over her and she was not allowed to participate in many events in the 1972 Democtratic Party. This discrimination against her gender and her race did not prevent her though, and she fought hard and long to reconstruct the roles that women were expected to have. Today, people still look at her and remember their strength from her famous quote, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair.” [3]
Women have a harder time running for or being elected in political positions largely due to the voters they are trying to reach. If the audience is not on their side or has a perspective set on a woman, it is less likely for them to be elected. One source found that “citizens use numerous shortcuts when they make political decisions, one of which can be reliance on a stereotype they hold about a person because of their membership in a particular group.” [4] While there are many voters who carefully debate the pros and cons between candidates, some base their decision off the main topics they hear about in social media or in the public. This could miss the true potential of female candidates if all they know is the fact that they are a woman. Providing for this idea, there has been known a “direct main effect[s] of stereotype perceptions on vote choice and candidate favorability. Thus, in candidate selection processes, without party cues, gender cues are more consequential than in general elections.” [5] In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman presidential nominee of a national party. With this example, the population could see that there was more focus on the individual over gender. While Clinton was not elected president and I have no concrete evidence about whether gender stereotypes impacted the election, it could be another explanation. There is still yet to be a woman president.
References:
[1] Bauer, Nichole M. "Rethinking Stereotype Reliance: Understanding the Connection between Female Candidates and Gender Stereotypes." Politics and the Life Sciences 32, no. 1 (2013): 22-42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43287266.
[2] Bauer, Nichole M. "Rethinking Stereotype Reliance: Understanding the Connection between Female Candidates and Gender Stereotypes." Politics and the Life Sciences 32, no. 1 (2013): 22-42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43287266.
[3] Klauer, Brooke. "Historical Women Who Changed Politics." The Fold (3,2019). https://thefoldmag.com/politics/historical-women-who-changed-politics
[4] Bos, Angela Lynne. "Stereotpyes at the Gate? Gender Stereotypes and Candidate Nomination Rules." Order No, 3273115, University of Minnesota, 2007. http://mutex.gmu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/stereotypes-at-gate-gender-candidate-nomination/docview/304841359/se-2?accountid=14541.
[5] Bos, Angela Lynne. "Stereotpyes at the Gate? Gender Stereotypes and Candidate Nomination Rules." Order No, 3273115, University of Minnesota, 2007. http://mutex.gmu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/stereotypes-at-gate-gender-candidate-nomination/docview/304841359/se-2?accountid=14541.