Race, Gender, and Politics Mid-Term

Intersectionality

The over lap of social identities producing heightened levels of discrimination for individuals in the U.S. Context

DeGraffenreid v. General motors

Discrimination could not be brought up on the case of BOTH race AND gender

Moore v. Hughes Helicopters

Failed to recognize that discrimination could be for black women specifically as opposed to all women

Payne v Travenol

Black women cannot represent an entire class of Blacks due to presumed class conflicts in cases where sex additionally disadvantaged Black Women

Critique of Feminist Theory

Does not include the role of race is Feminist Theory

Single issue Axis Framework

The extent to which court system only thought discrimination through the lens of one issue or identity; overlapping identities not recognized

Racial Formation theory

Race/Racial identity is viewed as a social construct in which the importance of race is determined by outside/man made entities

Intersectional Feminism

Show cases the ways in which the experiences of Black Women are unique to that of their non-Black women counterparts

Hill Collin’s Recommendations for intersectionality

1. Making intersectionality the object of the investigation

2.Using intersectionality as an analytical tool to produce and develop new knowledge about society

3. Emphasizing intersectionality as critical tool for the pursuit of social justice and equity

6 core constructs of Intersectionality

Relationality, Power, Social inequality, Social Context, Complexity, & Social justice

“crooked Room”

When they confront race and gender stereotypes, Black women are standing in a crooked room and they have to figure out which way is up… It can be hard to stand up in a crooked room

The Concept of Misrecognition

the societal failure or refusal to see Black women accurately, replacing their true lived experiences with distorted, harmful racial and gender stereotypes

Mammy

Highly

Maternal, Self-Safricing, Caregiving, Masculinized

Jezebel

Hypersexualized, Promiscuous, Endearing, Objectified

Sapphire

Anger-filled, Ill-tempered, Malicious, Verbally abusive

Three core elements of shame

Social, Global, Desire

Consequences of Shame

Can lead to colletive shame in groups, can be corresive to mental health, affect how one views themself, affect how they are seen in public settings, labels as an outcast

Consequences of the strong black woman trope

It diverts attention away from systems of inequality, can shape/distort perceptions of structural issues faced by individuals with intersecting identities, cause Black women to overemphasize their personal role in the inequalities they’ve faced

Black liberation theology

God has a unique relationship with African Americans and is not a bystander in human history. God takes the side of Black Americans as the struggle and will receive from him what they don’t get from social and political structures. The government may not recognize them but god does

Womanism

An intense form of female centered identification and action most often exhibited among women of color. Womanism lays claim to the intersectional experience of race and gender for women of color

How stereotypes affect public attitudes towards women and WOC politicians

Many historical tropes have been used to criticize WOC political leaders, WOC need to be strategic navigating the political system

Double disadvantage framework

Theorizes that the intersection of race and gender based stereotypes lead to negative/damaging consequences for women of color color seeking political office

Double advantage framework

Theorizes that the intersection of race and gender combines so that women of color candidates encounter positive masculine qualities associated with racial stereotypes (hardworking) and positives feminine qualities (caring and kind)

Attitudes and perceptions surrounding Michelle Obama

Criticisms about her appearance, her role as a mother, and her role in her marriage

Core stereotypes yielded against women politicians

More compassionate, More expressive, More honest, better able to deal with constituents, more effective dealing with policy issues such as child care, poverty, education, healthy care, women’s issues, and the environment

How partisanship influences perceptions of women politicians

It appears to have the most important influence on vote choice for women candidates, Voters who do not share the same political party with a woman candidate are much less likely to for them relative to voters who do share the same political party

Shirley Chisholm

First Black woman to be elected to congress to represent the 12th district of NY, Served 7 terms, became the first Black person to seek nomination for a major party in the presidential election in 1972

How intersectionality influences political participation among women of color voters

WOC with higher levels of education and income are more likely to participate in the political process

Descriptive representation

The extent to which an elected political leader matches the demographic factors of their constituents

Substantive representation

The extent to which an elected official matches the policy preferences of their constituents

Minority linked fate

The idea that racial similarities share a sense of commonality with members of their group, given shared experiences of discrimination and marginalization

Supply and demand side explanations for political ambition

Supply side explanation of women’s ambition: Can be though of in terms of how women are socialized in terms of political and career choices

Demand side of Explanation of women’s ambition: Includes factors that are external to women

Policy preferences of women of color voters

Health care, the economy, immigration, public safety, and discrimination

How gender influences news media coverage