Women, Gender, and Politics

N05 - Gender, Public Opinion, and Image

Date: Jun 2 | Time: 01:30pm to 03:00pm | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Linsday Larios (Concordia University)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Brenda O'Neill (University of Calgary)

Gender and Attitudes towards Federalism in Canada: Loleen Berdahl (University of Saskatchewan)
Abstract: How does gender relate to and structure attitudes towards federalism? A strong body of qualitative literature examines the intersection of gender and federalism, emphasizing questions of how federalism relates to and impacts upon gender equality and feminist political action. However, studies considering citizen attitudes regarding federalism (including federal political culture, division of powers, and political identities) have rarely examined questions of gender. There is good reason to anticipate that attitudes towards federalism are gendered, as federalism presents both opportunities and challenges for the achievement of gender equality. In this paper, I use data from a 2019 random telephone survey to consider attitudinal differences between and similarities among women, men, and non-binary gender identifying Canadians. I anticipate that gender structures attitudes towards federalism, with women and non-binary gender identifying Canadians holding more positive attitudes towards the federal government and stronger federal identities than men. Further, given the relatively progressive gender equality policies of the Quebec government and the relatively conservative gender equality policies of the prairie provincial governments, combined with the political importance of both Quebec nationalism and western alienation, I anticipate regional differences. These analyses will shed unique light on how the gendered nature of federalism informs political identities and attitudes within Canada.

Canadian Mayors’ Gendered Digital Political Image Production: Katherine Sullivan (Université de Montréal)
Abstract: Social media has become an important political tool in order to broadcast information, exchange with citizens and to perform one’s digital political identity. This political self-presentation can be influenced by many factors, including incumbency, public opinion and the media. The latter often prioritizes a male gaze when covering politics (Trimble & Sampert, 2004), which may be due to hegemonic masculinity (Sabin & Kirkup, 2019). Hence, gender stereotypes still guide what society views as being accepted behaviour for each group (Wagner & Everitt, 2019). However, gender is constitutive and performative (Butler, 2008) and according to strategic stereotype theory, politicians capitalize on gender stereotypes that benefit their political aims while attempting to counteract potentially damaging ones (Fridkin & Kenney, 2014). Hence, this study aims to offer a detailed analysis of 12 Canadian mayors’ gendered digital political image production, first by analysing – both visually and textually – their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram publications, and second by conducting semi-structured interviews to better understand the personal and professional motivations guiding their digital political communication strategies.

Public Opinion on Abortion in the US and Canada, 1975-2000: Elizabeth Baisley (University of Toronto)
Abstract: Americans are often considered more polarized on abortion than Canadians. This paper brings together over two decades of American and Canadian public opinion polls on abortion. It draws on 73 Gallup surveys that asked the same questions about abortion in the two countries between 1975 and 2000. The paper disaggregates public opinion trends on abortion by party identification, religion, gender, age, cohort, and region. Do religion, gender, age, cohort, and region operate similarly across the two countries? Are opinions on abortion shaped more by country-level factors (such as party identification) or by cross-border social categories (such as religion, gender, age, cohort, and region)? This paper contributes to our understanding of abortion and polarization in the two countries by providing a longer over-time analysis – divided by party – than was available in past work.

Press Coverage of Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin U.S. Vice Presidential Candidacies. Comparative Analysis: Maciej Turek (Jagiellonian University)
Abstract: This paper is a study of how the American press covers, presents and evaluates vice presidential candidates, with a particular emphasis on two female candidates, Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin. Study will be conducted by applying content analysis of three major U.S. daily papers, New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, and three weekly magazines, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News & World Report, as they constitute, according to a classic study The Washington Reporters, a top of the hierarchy of U.S. press organizations. In both presidential cycles I am interested in, 1984 and 2008, was a lot of press speculation during presidential primaries that the winning candidates might end up with female running mates. Thus, I will explore how media set expectations for a possibility of female vice president. Once the selections were made and candidates announced, I will examine what issues - candidates experience, policy record, personal characteristics, electoral prospects, or fitness for office, or else - were the ones that most concerned political reporters. As two mentioned female candidates were Democrat and Republican, I will investigate whether there can be found any differences in press description of the candidates. Finally, as during both cycles there was a lot of speculation whether both Ferraro and Palin are qualified for the office they were running, I would explore how the press coverage influenced public opinion on their fitness for the American vice presidency.