Gender and politics

By: Kelly Gramlich

How gender, especially being a woman, effects politics, elections and media coverage

Basically, how gender effects political communication

Used by

Anybody who votes

Hillary Clinton

Sarah Palin

Barack Obama

All politicians

Political Media

No matter if you like politics or not, they effect our country and effect who ends up running our country

It is important to know how gender effects the media coverage of the people we are voting for and if this political communication is changing

or effecting our views and votes

People argue that gender does not play a role in politics at all

Critics say the media treats men and women politicians equally

Compare how the media portrays Obama to how it portrays Clinton:

Obama’s cartoon is negative but still portrays him as a superhero.

Clinton’s cartoon is negative but portrays her as a shotgun carrying, extremely

hideous bride and Obama as innocent.

“”Overall news coverage emphasized women’s novelty more

so than men’s, and regardless of perceived gender congruence, women

receivedmore political issue and character trait coverage than men,” (Meeks

187).

U.S. Media portrays politicians in 3 main ways:

Novelty Labels Political Issues Character Traits

Women candidates beingDescribed through labels Such as: “female”, “woman”,“first female”, “loneWoman.” Men are rarelyReferred to by their genderLabels because they are the Norm.

Women are perceivedAs not being able to Handle masculineIssues such as: military, Crime, economy, andForeign policy.

Good politicians are considered toHave “masculine traits” such as:Strength, assertiveness, independence,Aggressiveness and confidence.

(According to: “Is She Man Enough?” by L. Meeks)

GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

IMAGES

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/jvumn/2344967308/

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=hillary+clinton+change&m=text

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=politics&ct=6&mt=photos&adv=1

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=usg&q=hillary+clinton&m=text

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/edenweaver/742777657/

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahpalinbiggestfan1/5890416444/

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/enjoybeing/112077435/

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=women+equality&ct=6&mt=photos&adv=1

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=criticism&f=hp

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/55790637@N06/5396760843/

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/donar/2525891765/

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=political+cartoons+obama&m=text

• http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=baby&m=text