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Within political positions of power, women are still being severely underrepresented with only 23% of cabinet members in ministries worldwide being women. They face an unprecedented level of scrutiny and face a double standard that acts as a barrier to progress preventing a level playing field. Misogyny is a constant battle for these women; the commentary surrounding women in politics is distinctly different from their male counterparts with comments made on their appearance, threats of sexual violence, and harassment.
Intelligent, powerful women are reduced to headlines focusing on their appearance rather than their abilities. While male politicians can focus on governance and policy, female politicians must be conscious of the constant scrutiny of their appearance in the public sphere, with their fashion choices distracting from their political voice. In contrast, male politicians get away with so much more and can worry less about their physical appearance. Some even gain support through being untidy like Boris Johnson’s attempt to look more like a ‘man of the people’ by appearing scruffier. Hillary Clinton is a good example of these double standards, as she faced endless media coverage focusing entirely on her choice of pantsuit rather than the policies she was trying to put forward. This constant scrutiny belittles women and influences the perception of their abilities by the media. Women shouldn’t be reduced to their clothing choices but judged by what they are saying.
Another aspect where men and women face different battles is in the perception of their emotional response. A male politician who is passionate is seen as strong and inspiring, but a passionate woman is hysterical or overly emotional. The trope of the ‘hysterical woman’ has been used against women throughout history to subjugate them. During the New Zealand Christchurch mosque attacks, critics labelled Prime Minister Jacinda Arden as overly emotional despite her compassionate leadership winning her international praise.
Women walk an impossible tightrope; if they are too assertive, they are seen as aggressive and unlikable but if they are too compassionate, they become weak and soft. There is no winning, Female politicians must constantly scrutinise every decision they make to attempt to find a middle ground. Male politicians don’t have this tightrope and can be extreme without their competence constantly being questioned.
Working mothers in politics are constantly asked, “How are you balancing it all?”—a question rarely directed at their male counterparts, who, even in the 21st century, are still not seen as primary caregivers. The double standard that a woman’s ambition must make way for familial duties is outdated but is constantly used to question women in politics. Jacinda Ardern’s decision to take maternity leave during her term sparked unnecessary dialogue about her ability to handle both being a mother and a leader.
The media plays an important role in the dialogue surround female politicians. It is constantly reinforcing biases that hold women back. It constantly plays into these biases to sell stories only focusing on aspects of them that are unrelated to their political ability.
A study of media coverage surrounding Theresa May found her gender was mentioned in 48% of the articles surveyed in the first three weeks of her term. Her gender was constantly being weaponised against her. She was also referred to as a girl in many articles demeaning her power as the Prime Minister of the UK and showing the uphill battle women face in these positions.
In the media, female politicians are women first and politicians second. Until the media stops treating male politicians as the norm and women as the outliers in positions of power, these barriers to equality will remain. Women shouldn’t have to work twice as hard. Change must happen and all politicians must be held to the same standard with ability being valued not outdated stereotypes.
Edited by Veronika Parfjonova
Image: Woman, Sea, Snow by REFLEX_PRODUCTION, Pixabay, 2022 // Pixabay Content License
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