By Cat Lindsay
Many democracies have elected female leaders, but in the 235-year history of US politics there has never been a female president.
Historically US leaders have been white males, with Obama making history as the first African American president in 2009.
Obama said to a group of US voters: “Coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses, part of it makes me think, well you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president”.
This is now a real possibility due to a change in attitudes towards stereotypes of women in politics.
Stereotypes have hindered women in past decades due to being seen as emotional, and the display of emotions would have been seen as weak
A change in attitudes towards the display of emotions is shown in slogans such as “it’s okay to not be okay” and the “Men Cry Too” movement.
This change in attitudes, even if a men’s movement, has helped anyone who is “emotional” to be accepted and sometimes seen as ‘strong’.
Political science research shows ‘The evolution of the women politician stereotype is encouraging: the traits that people associate with women politicians are more positive than ten years ago’.
This transformation in attitude may be what paves the way for Harris.
Harris is no stranger to being the first, from becoming the first woman to hold the position of California Attorney General to the first female vice president.
Hillary Clinton, in 2016, said: “We have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling but someday someone will and hopefully sooner than we might think right now”.
Harris might have what it takes to be the first female US president, but will voters back her?
Harris is on a double-edged sword, for some voters if she behaves like a leader, acting dominant and assertive she violates the expectations of femininity.
But for other voters if she behaves in a more feminine and ‘stereotypical’ way she will not be seen as a strong leader.
The number of women in US Congress has increased, between the 111th and 117th Congress the number went from 90 to 145.
This, along with leaders such as Pelosi and Clinton, even though they both face admiration and dislike, seeing them as well as other women in the political spotlight has normalised the idea of women in power for many voters.
Main image: Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris speaking at a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Courtesy of Gage Skidmore