The Prevalence of Misogyny in Politics

 Casey George

cg918217@ohio.edu

Credit: Berry College

Misogyny has always been common in politics and today, people have platforms to voice and spread their hate. As an active social media user, I have seen constant criticism directed towards women in politics. I have always used my social media platforms and voice to advocate for feminism, especially in politics. We need to support women politicians instead of constantly harassing and tearing them down. 

The article, "How sexist, racist attacks on Kamala Harris have spread online- a case study," discussed how people were accusing Harris of being ineligible to run for Vice President of the United States, claimed she was sleeping her way to the top, and even suggested her heritage disqualifies her from claiming she is Black. It also mentioned that in the first week of Harris being named to the ticket, the sexist hashtag #heelsupharris was included in over 35,000 posts on Twitter.  

This case study is a prime example of how women in politics are treated by society and their male counterparts.

The article focused on one specific social media post created by Steve Baldwin, a former California State Assembly member. Baldwin took it upon himself to create a blatantly racist and sexist Facebook post claiming Kamala Harris only launched her career because she slept her way to the top. 

Baldwin's Facebook post claimed Harris was only successful because of her relationship with Willie Brown, the former California State assembly speaker. The case study cleared up Baldwin's false claims about Harris, explaining her relationship with Willie Brown ended eight years prior to her running for her first elective office. 

The misogynistic view that women must sleep with their superiors to advance their careers and can't be successful on their own merit has been around for centuries and is still prevalent in society today. Baldwin's post is just one example of how social media gives people free spaces to spread false claims and disinformation. People are constantly sharing content that has no factual evidence behind it. 

At first, Baldwin's Facebook post received little attention, but it eventually went blew up, reaching tons of people. People began to alter his original post and the new versions listed Baldwin as a former congressman, which he was not. Ambiguous links were also added that led to cartoon images of Harris having oral sex. The posts even went as far as to say Harris lied about her affection for her stepchild. 

One man believed the spread of these altered posts was not random at all. Tim Chambers, the head of Dewey Digital, believes the posts were coordinated by pseudo-anonymous actors. Essentially, Baldwin's Facebook post and the altered versions of it reinforced the sexist and racist narrative that was already being pushed by profound conservatives. 

Social media is harmful because it offers levels of anonymity. It allows people to create anonymous profiles so they can say, post, and share anything they want without exposing their identity. 

In the case study, Tina Tchen, former Chief of Staff to first lady, Michelle Obama, and head of TIME'S UP Now, discussed the importance of understanding the facts before reporting on an issue. President Trump made a comment about Harris, saying he is okay with a woman president, but not the way she would get there. He was alluding to the Facebook posts that had been circulating digital society. 

Tchen discussed how she and her team were able to bring attention to Trump's false claims by alerting reporters and journalists. She told them to make sure they had all the facts before writing a story on Harris. 

This article by Reuters clarifies the relationship between Harris and Brown, explaining Brown had been separated from his wife for more than a decade before his relationship with Harris. The article also mentioned their relationship was never a secret. They were not trying to hide anything from anyone. They were even spotted at events together. Yet, people will do anything to bring a powerful woman down. People can't handle the fact that women can get positions of power on their own credentials. 

The article, Kamala Harris Is Already Being Called a Prostitute, discusses how blatantly sexist the attacks against Harris were because her relationship with Brown was over 20 years ago. Brown was also asked about the relationship and was baffled that it mattered so much to people. He addressed rumors that claimed he helped Harris advance her career. He responded to those rumors by saying he also helped Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, Dianne Feinstein, and many other politicians. 

I learned a lot from the case study by the Washington Post. Ultimately, it is crucial for journalists, reporters, and anyone spreading information to fact-check it first. Something may appear to be true at first glance, but taking a closer look can help you spot errors and disinformation.