Politics and Gender

Explain how the United States rates in its

inclusion of women in politics.
Name three major reasons social scientists
offer for Americas attitude toward women in
politics.
Explain the difference in voting patterns
between men and women in the United States.
List three to four political issues that have to
do with gender.
Name one way that race and gender have
been linked in politics.

 Hilarys NH speech--heckler said

Iron my Shirt
Women in politics not recognized?
We see race but not gender?
Around the worldmore women as
presidentseven in patriarchal
countries. Rwanda (56%) parliament
US ranks 71% in world legislation;
17% of SH are women; 24% state
legislatures.

 Sexism in American politics is rarely noted in the

media. Unlike racism, blatant sexism in politics is
permitted. It is also very difficult for American
women to break into politics, whereas in many
other countrieseven those Americans disparage
as gender unequalwomen have risen to high
political offices in far greater numbers than in the
United States. The United States is behind in
gender equality at every level of elected office.
Social scientists have proposed three
explanations for this: (1) men are prejudiced
against women and use stereotypes about
women to suggest they are unfit for the duties of
public office. Although more and more Americans
report a willingness to consider voting for female
candidates, prejudice against them still exists. (2)
Women are socialized to be too reserved to enter
into politics. (3) The high-pressure career of

 There is also a gender gap in the voting population of

the United States: more women are registered
Democrats, and more women vote for Democratic
candidates. Two common explanations for this gap are
the following: (1) women no longer feel obligated to
vote the same way as their husbands do and (2)
women are more liberal in their thinking than men. This
gender gap has increased in past decades, perhaps
because men have become more conservative. It
should also be noted that white men and women are
more conservative politically than black and Hispanic
men and women.

 What about Sarah Palin and Michelle

Bachman?
Catholic nun revolt
Mormon females against Mitt

Just as women are assumed in sexist American

ideology to be unfit in their femininity for the work
of politics, so too are men judged by their
masculinity in the political arena. Presidential
elections are especially infused with the rhetoric of
masculinity, rhetoric that focuses in particular on
war. Political parties, too, fall prey to gendering
impulses: the Democratic Party is considered
feminine in its stress on social services and helping
others, whereas the Republican Party is interpreted
as masculine because of its advocacy of higher
military spending and lesser social supports. The
2008 presidential election presented a change in
gender dynamics.

 2008 elections
Hilary and sarah (bitch vs brainless
babe)
John mccain and barack obama
(tough, grit, military vs intelligent,
college man)

 Many political issues have to do with gender,

such as fertility and reproduction, parental
leave and child care, and gender
discrimination in the workplace. Transgendered
people suffer particular gender discrimination,
and gradually the political realm is offering
some protections.
Male expert for birth control (photo)
Fluke vs Limbaugh (birth control v viagra)
Friendly family workplace issues
Violence against woman act
Equal pay for women act
Gender discrimination determination

Transgender law
One in five
Pan am v Diaz
Bathroom issues
Globalization issuescorporate
masculinity? Cultural homogenization?
Bengal example.
Fanons concepts
Arab spring and womens rights

 The state is also gendered: it presumes the

citizen to be male. In the global context,
various masculine stereotypes operate to
signal power or its lack, depending on
ones political standing. Such gendered
stereotyping has played into colonial
racism in many cases, as well as
structuring some resistance movements
and conservative social agendas.

 Women have been fighting for gender

equality in the political sphere since the
mid-nineteenth century. Although some
women subscribe to the so-called third
wave of feminism, many others reject the
label of feminist at the same time as they
take advantage of the gains feminism has
achieved. Different branches of feminist
theory and action hold far different political
positions. Men have also supported
feminist goals and beliefs, and there is a
strong history of male allies to feminism.