The deck is often stacked against a woman running for a leadership position anywhere in the world.
Vice President Kamala Harris, as the first black woman and person of South Asian descent to presumably receive a major nomination, will face unique challenges to her campaign, said Farida Jalalzai, a global political expert at Virginia Tech.
“Political institutions are important to women gaining executive power,” said Jalalzai. “Women disproportionately govern in dual executive systems, featuring both a president and prime minister. Power imbalances often relegate women to weaker positions compared to their male counterparts.
“Few women secure presidencies where they do not share power with a prime minister; those operating in systems where a president dominates almost always occupy the much weaker prime ministerial role.”
The U.S. role on the international stage heightens the presidency’s link to a masculine style of leadership, especially as a leading nuclear and economic power.
“The number of women in Congress is growing, and there are more women governors, but the pipeline is still pretty small,” said Jalalzai.
Women’s professional credentials are often more scrutinized as they seek office at any level, according to Jalalzai.
“They usually have to present amazing qualifications to be seen as viable,” she said. “They face sexist reporting and also discriminatory treatment by some political elites.”
Jalalzai said it’s possible, however, that we underestimate who and what the public is willing to support.
“Perhaps we are more open-minded than we are given credit for,” she said. “And we need to stop suggesting that women in general and women of color are not electable.
“It is possible people will become more open to diverse candidates and backgrounds of presidents. Seeing a living role model of a black, South Asian woman as president can communicate that politics is more inclusive and that government is more legitimate because it is more representative.”
Harris will likely be champion for women’s and equality issues on the campaign trail.
“She will face criticisms about being liberal, though she is fairly moderate, and this will be magnified because of her gender and race/ethnicity,” said Jalalzai. “She will have to try to balance her image. She will want to come across as strong but not too strong. Compassionate, but not too compassionate. That is the double bind.
“Even if she wins a competitive nomination, she will be relegated to Biden’s handpicked successor which diminishes her standing. She will have to balance support for his agenda but show that she has her own ideas and is not a puppet.”
Share
Crystal Graham
