‘The gender thing’ and ‘the race thing’
January 10th, 2008 by KimIn the last week, the 2008 presidential election became once again about sex.
I mean, gender.
When Hillary Clinton appeared to tear up on Monday in New Hampshire before the primary, media and blogs were a-buzz with speculation.
Were the tears genuine? Did they mean weakness? Or were they just plain ol’ natural human emotion?
More importantly, though, did Hillary’s tears, her third-place finish in Iowa and an incident where two men yelled “Iron my shirt!” at her during a campaign stop encourage female support?
Who cares?
Wait — that’s not rhetorical. The question of “who” exactly cares is interesting.
According to the NYT, women of different age groups are split on Hillary. In interviews, women over 40, who experienced sexism in the workplace and in school while growing up, seemed to be more drawn to the idea of having the first woman in the White House.
In many ways they viewed it “as a grand moment of validation.”
But younger women who grew up in an era of greater equality seemed to be influenced less by gender in their votes. Perhaps there is also greater optimism among us that the United States will see a woman president within our lifetimes. Maybe.
Race has also been a BIG point of discussion in the election. But on that front, too, there may be a difference between how I view Barack Obama and how my parents view him.
Writes Rosa Brooks in the LA Times today:
Increasingly, the media obsession with whether Americans will be less likely to vote for a black man or for a woman is also beside the point — because to an emerging generation of younger voters, the very terms in which the questions have been framed no longer make much sense…
…[I]ncreasingly, there’s evidence that younger Americans just don’t think about race in the same simplistic ways. They’re more likely than older Americans to be minorities themselves, for one thing. In 2006, only 19.8% of Americans over 60 were minorities, compared with about 40% of Americans under the age of 40. And younger minorities come from a far wider range of racial and ethnic backgrounds than their older counterparts. Once, “minority” largely meant “black,” which in turn meant “descendant of the Africans brought to the U.S. as slaves.” Some of today’s young minorities fit that profile, but others are descended from Filipino farmers, Chinese schoolteachers, Iranian engineers, Mexican construction workers, Congolese doctors or Haitian shopkeepers.
As a woman AND a descendant of Chinese farmers, I wish I could say that neither race nor gender at all affect how I view Obama and Clinton in the pool of candidates for president. But then I’d be lying, of course.
The question is, does it matter to me as much as it matters to my parents, having had greatly different life experiences dealing with race and gender up until this point.
Does it matter to you?
Do you think it should matter?
Tags: 2008 election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, race
January 10th, 2008 at 1:51 am
Hmm I just noticed this blog. How long has this been up?
As a young person interested in politics, the last few weeks have been fascinating. As a person of color I think it would be cool to have a minority president but that isn’t a deciding factor. For example, I disagree with Obama on many issues and think he has zero chance to reach the White house (because he’s too far left, not because of his race).
It is funny that everyone in the media refers to him as African-American. First of all what is wrong with “black.” Second of all wasn’t he raised by white people in Hawaii? I just dont think he has much in common with the average black guy from the mainland.
Gender is also an issue, and it would probably be easier for a conservative woman to break that barrier than a progressive. It is unfair, but any progressive woman will be perceived as being soft.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Whether a person is ‘fit’ to be elected should be based on that person’s stand on the issues and perceived character, not on the person’s gender or skin color. Up until now, the Presidency has been assumed to be a position reserved for Anglo-Saxon, mainstream Christian white males, who currently make up less than 1/3 of populace. It will be a watershed moment if our next President is a women (Clinton), black (Obama), Hispanic (Richardson), a Mormon (Romney), or an ‘ethnic’ white (Guiliani).
January 10th, 2008 at 7:59 am
personally i don’t think that race or gender should matter in these types of campaigns. but then again should religion? sexual preference? organization membership? whenever someone is in any type of lime light the public takes it upon themselves to judge and criticize every aspect of their life or opinion, but does that matter if they can do the job? sure the president of the US yields alot of power, but it’s not completely unchecked…there’s still the two other branches. just being a young pacific islander (i’m so mixed, my races wouldn’t even be listed on a questionnaire) woman, i am drawn to the minority candidates, but i still plan on making my decision based on their views and their credentials and not just because ones a “woman” and the others “black.”
January 10th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Aren’t we all prejudiced to a degree? We make decisions everyday based on our prejudice and the times we live in. The elections are won and lost on the voter’s prejudice. That article by Rosa Brooks and your comments are very valid but there are probably other superficial reasons on why we vote for a particular candidate. Our head tells us that issues and how the candidate intend to run our country should be the primary reason to vote but how they look and present themselves play an important part in that decision. I suspect most voters will not spend a lot of time studying each candidate’s position on issues and will vote based on images or even name recognition. I try to have enough information before entering the booth and it’s just a matter of finding your choices on the ballot but how many of us will look at the Board of Education candidates and vote strictly on name recognition or their surname. I recall a particular 18-year BOE member who got elected only because of name. People in the know said she was very ineffective, especially in her later years. There are many very good young candidates for the BOE that will get passed over because a former legislator or someone with name recognition will get the votes simply because they are familiar.
January 10th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Thinking about it, race and gender does subconciously have an effect on me (sometimes) and probably on most people. But should it matter?
Men and women ARE different. Of course there are men and women that are in the gray area in-between, but on average there are differences. The differences in equality that once set men and women apart though, is nearly diminished.
Race was highly associated with peoples backgrouds and beliefs. Asians would actually be from Asia where they follow their respective cultures and just be a certain way, and White/Black people the same. But as different generations of races mature with the same backgrounds (ie Asians are born and raised in America), the bond between race and background dissapear. Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, Whites, all grow up together with the same place with the same background.
Anyway, my answer to if it should matter is no. There is no way of even coming close to know what a black man or a white woman is like judging only by race and gender and shouldnt matter in voting who should be the next president. Stereotypes of race and gender are becoming increasingly hollow. But after all, it is hard choose a candidate for any other reason as their speeches do not necessarily convey what their time in office will be like. “Change”
January 10th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Time of the month and men all pause is not a good thing when the fate of the nation rides on her decisions.
January 10th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Guest: Period or menopause or whatever, it doesn’t matter. The President always has a team of trusted advisers and personnel. I’m sure a woman president will be OK to make a decision in the middle of her cramps.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Now days gender shouldn’t matter. The media is playing a big role in showing how women are becoming more impowered. You know, shows like Cashmier Mafia, Sex in the city, Desperate Housewives, etc. It all shows how women are taking charge and not just sitting back waiting around for Prince Charming. In the end, I do hope that either Obama or Clinton wins the race. It would show that America is ready to move toward a more open society.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Race is not so much a factor for me as is gender for this election. It would be great to finally have a female president in this country. It amazes me that other countries have had female appointed leaders, especially considering how we (U.S.) prides itself on being progressive. But of course, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the issues…
January 10th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Thank you all for the thoughtful comments. You bring up some very good points.
I wonder — if you are female, do you feel that Hillary Clinton can better represent you in the White House because she is female? And if you are a minority, do you feel that Barack Obama can better serve you because he is black?
January 10th, 2008 at 9:48 am
i agree with the general opinion of the above comments, it really shouldn’t matter if the president is a man, woman, black, white, yellow, blue or whatever. as long as they can get the job done…
January 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I think that gender and race does matter in a good way. I mean, a person’s character is shaped by their gender, ethnic background, cultural background, and of course the place of upbringing, etc. These all make up a person’s character.
I feel that a president must have a great character and must be exposed and OPEN to new ideas because the world is always changing. If we only stick to our “old fashion views” of what or how a president should be, then our nation will be left in the dust as the rest of the world moves past us.
This is what is happening to our local political system in Hawaii [can’t adjust to change] and it is slowly eating away our economy, resources, and young talent.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Times are Changing and so should our Nation. My vote would go to either Hillary or Obama right now, but the deciding factor as to who will have my vote between the 2 would be the issues that they address.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I can’t explain it, but during the marathon ABC television debates, Hillary felt like a winner to me. Must be my intuition! Whatever the case, the talent is so much over on the Democratic side that the Republicans don’t even compare. I could gladly vote for any of the Democrats after my life has been marred for seven long, long years by the Bush administration.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Race and sex shouldn’t matter. The most qualified person in the voters eyes should.
However, do you think other world leaders would take a female leader seriously?
January 10th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Not necessarily, you may feel more comfortable with someone of your own kind but they may have an entirely different point of view…don’t be fooled by the wolf in sheep’s clothing. An Asian presidential candidate would be intriguing but won’t vote for that person based on race.
January 10th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
affirmative action is such a waste of time. unlike obama, who hasn’t mentioned “i’m black and i understand black people”, clinton has been riding and banking on her gender card, and even had the audacity to claim that the civil rights movement didn’t start with MLK, but with LBJ when he was president. the true colors of the clintons are showing now that they’re not the inevitable. as for the congressional black caucus members supporting clinton, it’s because of bill calling them and applying the pressure, not because they think she cares
January 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
It shouldn’t matter whoever is best suited to run the country is who I will vote for. However, I would be foolish to think that race and/or gender will not matter in this election.
January 10th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I think gender and race will still have an impact on this election. We are entering a new era where today’s generation doesn’t share the same feelings of gender and race as in the past. However, the younger generation is the one that is least likely to vote as well.
I do view things differently from my parents when it comes to race, and in time there will be a minority and a woman president. Whether or not there is one this year really doesn’t matter, whatever happens will be an accomplishment either way and a big step into a different mind set.
Growing up in Hawaii is a little different than the mainland. Here your minorities are the majorities, and vice versa; that’s if you are Asian. African-Americans are still the minority however. But my point is, for the most part everyone is comfortable with everyone else no matter the race or gender. If you go to the mainland this is a completely different story, visiting a place is one thing but having to live there gives you a totally different experience.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
In an ideal world it shouldn’t matter. But we don’t live in an ideal world, do we? Politics is an occupation of itchy backs. Minorities and women, if a large part of their voting base is from such, feel a need to pay them back in how they vote for or against certain legislation. And this could very well stoke the fears of those who are neither minority or female, which begs the question…
Even if they are well qualified, are Obama and Clinton less electable in a national election across parties, race and gender, because of what makes them different? If the Democrats want to win the presidency, that is a question they have to answer honestly.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Let’s also think about how we will “look” to foreign nations. How would they view America if being run by a woman? Especially the countries like the middle-east whose cultures treat women much differently than in america.
Can you properly negotiate foreign diplomacy if a PM or a group can’t respect your position simply on your gender/sex?
Also, consider that you aren’t really deciding based off factual information — it is mostly based off of media coverage and finely sculpted character marketing, and messages meant to resonate with the viewer.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Franksabunch -
That’s an interesting question.
So, if it comes down to either Clinton or Obama in the general, against a Republican, who will most likely be a Caucasian male, who do you folks think Americans would be most likely to choose?
January 10th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I think the red/blue state layout will look more or less the same. The Dems will take the West Coast and Northeast, while the GOP will rule the South, Mountain, and Plain States. The deciding factor will again be the Great Lakes or ‘Big Ten’ Region. BTW, I analyzed the presidential voting by county quite a bit last time. In the Pac NW the Seat/Tac area was heavy Kerry, while the rest of the state was Bush country. Same phenomenon for Portland metro area versus the rest of Oregon. Same thing for Wisconsin (Milwaukee area vs. rest of state in general). So politics has strong urban/suburban/rural trends that really jump out. I also saw on-line exit polls, and with regard to the race topic, I can generalize that in the South, the whites voted overwhelmingly for Bush, while the blacks overwhelmingly voted for Kerry, and since there are more whites than blacks (though a high %) in the Southern states and since I’d speculate that a higher % of whites vote, its no wonder that the South has been GOP territory. Exceptions were when ‘one of their own’ was running for the top spot (Carter, Clinton).
January 10th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Robin,
Not always an exception as Gore lost his own state, which in turn cost him the election. How someone can lose their own state is something that I still cannot fathom.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Off topic: Is there a good resource around the web that has info. on all the candidates? Such as their issues and where they stand on them. There’s too much information out there and I don’t know where to start. And honestly, politics bore me to tears >_
January 10th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Tommy K said “It is funny that everyone in the media refers to him as African-American. First of all what is wrong with “black.”
I say:
Do we call Asian people “yellows”? I’m not sure many Asians would accept that!
And if we are talking about “brown people”, who are we talking about? Mexicans? Samoans? Filipinos? Marshallese? Sri Lankans?
In Australia, when they talk about “blacks”, they’re not talking about African-Americans, they’re talking the Aborigines.
As for American “white” people, I refer to them as “European-Americans”. Or “Americans of European ancestry”. That way we acknowledge where their ancestors came from!
And When I use the word “Indians”, I’m talking about people from India. Native Americans are not from India, so I don’t call them “Indians”.
By the way, all this is NOT “political correctness”, it is FACTUAL correctness!
January 10th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Bigg Dogg, seems like the view of Al Gore as a blue blood didn’t sit too well with the country folk down there. Carter was a humble, Southern gentleman while Clinton had his ‘Bubba’ persona.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Oh, one other thing. It does happen to GOP candidates also, as Ford lost Michigan to Carter.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
CORRECTION, Ford did beat Carter in Michigan in 1976. I do have a great memory, but what I actually remembered my Grandma saying back then (I was 9 at the time) was something almost verbatim to this ‘Ford couldn’t even win in his own Grand Rapids, Michigan.’ Still don’t know why a remember this so distinctly.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:42 am
To answer your question, Kim, if it comes down that way I figure this:
John Kerry is an independently wealthy, very smooth politician from a NE state. Despite all the bad press Bush got, Kerry was unable to beat him. Clinton is in the same mold, calculated, no mistakes, smooth politician from a NE state…except she is a woman and gets more negative press than her predecessor, so if Kerry couldn’t win, I doubt she could.
Obama is straddling the lines of Black/White. Some African Americans see him as being too White, some Caucasians see him as being too black. And some people, out of fear and/or ignorance, won’t vote for him simnply because his middle name is Hussein.
I honestly think that if it comes down to Obama or Clinton, then _insert Republican candidate here_ has a good chance of winning.
As much as I hate to admit it, most of America votes not on integrity, but on perception.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I agree with Robin that
“Whether a person is ‘fit’ to be elected should be based on that person’s stand on the issues and perceived character, not on the person’s gender or skin color.” But let’s look at how people in Hawaii vote: first and foremost, I would say they vote on ethnicity, with issues a distant second. Have you ever noticed how the sign-wavers will throw every ethnicity in their family at you? Maybe younger generations are getting beyond this, but it’s still–sadly–there.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Kim — props to you on a great column.
I’ve discussed the election multiple times this year with my 8th grade students, and how they would vote goes along the lines what many have said in this blog: to young people (and those in Hawaii), race seems to matter more than gender (and wealth). My public school students who are largely non-white and from low-income backgrounds all want Obama to win as if he is a rockstar.
I think as an 8th grader, I would probably view the candidates the same way and choose Obama based on race. In fact, after going to school on the mainland, and experiencing racism first-hand for the first time, I would have chosen Obama. However, having experienced sexism in the workplace recently as a 20-something (we may have the same pay, but we are far from equality), and seeing how class and socio-economics matters for my students in terms of opportunities provided to them, in this case (not necessarily in all cases) I would have to say for me, gender matters more. While I think race and socio-economics are very much still tied together, in Obama’s case, he did attend Punahou, so I too wonder how much he would really take on issues like poverty and inequality in education. I guess you could say the same thing for Hillary Clinton, but my experience tells me that more change might come from a woman.
Lastly, in response to Pablo’s comments about how to refer to different ethnic groups–a colleague of mine who has worked with “Native Americans” actually told me that they prefer to be called “Indians” or by their tribal names and NOT “Native Americans.” Of course, that may not be true for all, but I guess we shouldn’t really correct others unless we ourselves are that ethnicity or have that information first-hand. So, in class, I tell my students that even I am not sure about the correct term to use, so the best we can do is to know all the different terms, use them as respectfully as we can, and best of all, just ask someone of that ethnicity what they prefer.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Cheril -
Really interesting comment. I think it’s awesome that you’re discussing the election with your 8th graders. I can see how to them, Obama might have that “rockstar” appeal, but it’s too bad for him they can’t vote yet!
It’s interesting to me how in some circles Obama is perceived to have led a life of challenges, whereas we in Hawaii who are familiar with Punahou’s prestige and reputation might look upon him as more privileged.
Hm.