Stereotypes, Character Assassination and Women in Politics

Abstract

How are gender stereotype cues used to target women in power in contemporary politics? There are commonalities across cases where the female politicians’ image and reputation are being targeted by political rivals. For instance, stereotypes are often invoked, as products of shared cultural knowledge. Various forms of political communication, e.g., in election campaigns, often with the aim of character assassination (CA from hereon), may deploy stereotypical cues to achieve impact in this regard. Online micro-targeting creates a new platform for political strategists to practice CA and stereotype activation. Female candidates do participate in elections, raise campaign funds, and win elections; yet women remain underrepresented at all levels of elected office. It is interesting to observe the role of gender stereotypes in this process and the current challenges female candidates face. The research presented in this paper illustrates the stereotypical cues used to target women in politics, and highlights various gender-specific political obstacles to the success of female candidates.