Published: 11 April 2013
Region: US
Women’s Media Center and the organisation She Should Run have released two studies that demonstrate the negative role that media play when they report on female politicians’ appearance.
Both studies, ‘An Examination of the Impact of Media Coverage of Women Candidates’ Appearance’ and ‘Simulation of the Impact of Sexism in Campaign’, have found that when media coverage focuses on a woman’s look, she pays a price in the political race. All the comments on the woman candidate’s appearance regardless if they are neutral, positive, or negative, made voters less likely to vote for her, studies show.
“Even what we thought was benign coverage about how a woman dresses has a negative impact on her vote and whether voters perceive her as in touch, likeable, confident, effective, and qualified. And, in close races, sexist coverage on top of the attacks that every candidate faces can make the difference between winning and losing,” explains Celinda Lake, who conducted the research.
These reports are part of a bigger project called ‘Name it, Change it’ that Women’s Media Center and She Should Run have developed in order to identify, prevent, and end sexist media coverage of women candidates in the political elections in the United States.
The studies on negative media role have been based on an online survey of 1,000 to 1,500 likely voters. They were asked to assess what would happen to female candidate’s electoral chances if she were described in news stories that outlined her appearance.
A manual has also been produced. Media Guide to Gender Neutral Coverage of Women Candidates + Politicians has been designed to reduce the incidence of sexist media references and replace the usual silence that follows such media offenses toward women candidates and public leaders with proactive and responsive tactics.
