Why Female Presidential Candidates Are Still Overlooked

[mcar]

Why Female Presidential Candidates Are Still Overlooked
People are thrilled Pete Buttigieg speaks Norwegian, but the fact that Kirsten Gillibrand speaks Mandarin is barely a blip in the news.

By Jennifer Wright
Apr 18, 2019


If you looked at the media right now, you’d see that four very nice white men are running for president. Pete Buttigieg is on the cover of New York Magazine. Beto O’Rourke is on the cover of Vanity Fair. Biden and Bernie are the favorites. They all seem perfectly nice and profoundly preferable to Trump.

But did you know that there are also some women—and some people of color—running? I can’t thrust them onto the cover of Vanity Fair, but I can tell you that if you’re excited that Beto O’Rourke reads books—and it is, indeed, a big plus that someone reads books—well, good news: Elizabeth Warren has written 11 books. Upset that Biden is too touchy feely? Kirsten Gillibrand has actively fought against men who overstep boundaries, and, additionally, not groped anyone herself!

In spite of that, every time a woman does something successfully, people seem determined to skew it to show how successful a man was. Look at Ryan Lizza and Chris Cillizza tweeting about how Kamala Harris raising more funds than Pete Buttigieg just makes Buttigieg look better. Kamala raised $5 million more than him.

Yes, Pete Buttigieg is an LGBTQ candidate, and he seems like a very good man. But a man who looks like nearly every president we’ve ever had isn’t an underdog in this; though you would never know it, from the seeming delight of the press every time a man does a good thing. As Refinery 29 pointed out, people are thrilled that Buttigieg speaks Norwegian (good for him!), but the fact that Gillibrand speaks Mandarin is barely a blip in the news. It is likewise nice that Mayor Pete is a liberal Christian. But as that becomes a major news story, no one seems to care that Kamala Harris grew up singing a Baptist choir.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a27171251/women-running-for-president-2020/

[brer cat]

1. Very true and frustrating.

We should be past this, but no.

[TwilightZone]

2. "But a man who looks like nearly every president we've ever had isn't an underdog in this"

I'd argue that Buttigieg is indeed an underdog. Just because he looks like most of the presidents we've had (which, frankly, is debatable considering his age) doesn't mean that a gay man doesn't have an inherent disadvantage in our present society.

Said disadvantage may not be as significant as running as a woman (again, this is debatable), but it is a disadvantage, as much as we'd like to believe we've moved beyond that.

I agree on most of the other points. The media coverage of the candidates does place our female candidates at a disadvantage. It's much the same in the rest of our society - women often have to work harder, longer, and better to get the same recognition as men. And still don't.

[mcar]

4. I agree with that

But would argue that, in many ways, he still benefits from the media double standard. His language ability is extolled (as it should be), while Gillibrand's is ignored.

The female candidates, on the whole, have much more well-outlined policy positions, but the men get attention because Ideas!

He, like the other white men, get points for just showing up (again, not that Mayor Pete or some of the others don't bring a lot to the table), but the women are either ignored or scrutinized in ridiculous ways.

[TwilightZone]

8. Agreed.

He's at an inherent disadvantage because he's a young, gay male, but he does benefit from the double standards that apply to our female candidates. I'd agree there, though I also think that the fact that he kind of came out of nowhere is playing a part. He's the new shiny object in the race. But again, part of that is could be due to some inherent bias.

Also agree on the ridiculous scrutiny. Nowhere in my several-decade political memory was that more apparent than Clinton and Trump in 2016, though some of the same nonsense is playing out for 2020 with our female candidates.

On a similar, more specific note, I find the lack of coverage of and attention to Warren a bit mind-boggling. She's arguably as progressive as Sanders and has been proposing detailed policies that should garner significant attention, but it seems to get swamped by coverage of Sanders and his similar policies, which are often portrayed as, pardon the pun, revolutionary, when they've actually been in the political sphere of Warren and others for years. Part of what you're talking about, of course.

[mcar]

10. Re Warren, you are so right

I'm back to leaning toward her because I agree with so much of what she says and am impressed by all the detailed policies she has - including how to pay for them.

And yet I see on Twitter and elsewhere the same tired, old refrain: "I want to see a women President, just not that women."

[dsc]

3. As a gay man I get more than a little tired of hearing how being gay isn't a disadvantage

when it over half the states, with over half the population gay people can be fired for no reason other than simply being gay. I do get the rest of the points the author is making though.

[mcar]

5. I agree

[rogue emissary]

9. Your a hundred percent right that being gay can be a disadvantage.

Pete likes to talk in terms of what I call toxic masculinity. Especially when he talks about being a soldier or his proud gun ownership.

That's why a lot of people don't identify him as gay. He also likes to flirt with dog whistle language. His coastal people don't understand the heartland BS. Again, that's typical of how a lot of males run for president.

It's revolutionary that he running and is consider to have a chance of winning.

It's unfortunate that he is running and talking like most white straight male candidates.

Listen to Beto or even Swalwell in how they talk about race and diversity for example.

[JudyM]

15. Not to mention that Buttigieg wasn't even comfortable coming out till he was 33.

It is strange to me, have to say, however, that waiting that long to be comfortable coming out doesn’t sync up with suddenly around a year later being comfortable enough to run for the highest public office in the land. Bit of a head scratcher.

[Gothmog]

6. Senator Harris is at or near the top of my list

I really like Senator Harris

[JudyM]

21. She showed great intelligence, fortitude, leadership and personality in the televised hearings.

I would be more comfortable with her in the Oval Office than Mayor Pete, due to his not matching her know-how about how the federal government works. I believe whoever is elected needs to know the ropes in that respect, unless they are outstandingly compelling in another way. They need to get in and start running the show or else “business as usual” - including focusing on donors and rethug obstruction - will take over their agenda.

[vsrazdem]

7. It is actually quite disheartening to see this going on in our country, when many other

countries have had women leaders for years.

[mcar]

11. And decades ago

It is disheartening.

[Merlot]

33. Women leaders. Public health care.

We're behind on a lot of issues.

Don't get me started on school lunches.

[Andy823]

12. Kick

Great post thanks.

[mcar]

13. Thank you!

[Andy823]

14. Kick to the top. nt

[DesertRat]

16. kick and rec

[flamingdem]

17. Too true

Hoping the debates correct for that.

[mcar]

19. I hope so too

[Andy823]

32. I think the will

I think the women will beak out in the debates and their numbers will rise. I am really looking forward to the debates.

[Me.]

18. All You Have To Do Is Look At The Pictures Above

the questions is...when is one 8% better than another 8%? Both Sens. Warren & Sanders have 8% yet it is his, the man's picture, that we see.

[mcar]

20. Hmmm

[Me.]

23. Wow!

No sooner did I write that and the pics switched...how did that happen?

[mcar]

28. I just noticed that

[backtoblue]

22. Thanks mcar!

Informative and frustrating.

[BlueStater]

24. Some men are getting overlooked too.

Jay Inslee has a fantastic progressive record, yet is annoyingly treated as an afterthought for some reason. It's bullshit.

[robbedvoter]

26. Riiight! "White Men Matter too"

Nothing against Inslee, but way to hijack the issue.

[BlueStater]

30. Maybe I just care about their records more than their physical appearance.

He's getting the short end of the stick from the media just the same as most of the candidates. Who cares about his race and gender? I guess he doesn't matter because he's white and a man, right?

[Merlot]

35. Jay Inslee is my second pic, but I do recognize

that he hasn't raised the money that the top candidates have. And that's what it's about - raising money. The women candidates who have outraised male candidates are still getting less attention.

[robbedvoter]

25. Misogyny worked well against Hillary, why ditch it now?

Plus look who the talking heads are. If they haven't been already outed by #MeToo they are fearing it/their best friends were. White males shape the narrative and they haven't gotten any friendlier to women . "She doesn't look like a President" 🍊 said of Hillary. And a lot of people, even here, agree Whether they are aware/want to admit it or not.

[mcar]

27. That's right

[leftofcool]

29. The same people complaining about mysogyny didn't have a problem....

when it was Hillary being mistreated. In fact, some right here on DU treated her like shit because she was a woman who dared to think she could run and win. I believe the word used was "coronation." Now, all of a sudden, misogyny is a bad thing.

[JI7]

34. just remember the Matt Lauer hosted event from 2016

and difference in how he was with Hillary and Trump.

[BannonsLiver]

31. A complaint in search of a problem.

[mcar]

36. Don't think so

It's a documented problem.

[BannonsLiver]

37. Every candidate has been covered as they've entered

Mayor Pete is getting his boomlet right now. Eventually it’ll fade. I think it’s also at least worth noting there are more male candidates in the race, which would explain some of the supposed disparity. There’s a long way to go yet. few here would be surprised if the eventual nominee was a woman.