It seems that “feminism” is at all time high. I’ve heard more discussions about it and have seen the word more times in the last few months than I have in the last few years. and it makes sense. With the first nominee of a woman by a major party for president, an uprising in the feminist movement is to be expected. Whether you love, hate, or just prefer Hilary Clinton over Donald Trump, no one can deny that her nomination (and possible presidency) will have major implications for women in the United States. But what exactly are these implications? Some might argue that the “glass ceiling” is broken and with Clinton’s election more women will be paid equal to men and take on more leadership roles, but I don’t necessarily believe this is true, no more than President Barack Obama’s election meant the end of racism in America, will Hillary Clinton’s possible election mean the annihilation of sexism.
Yes, Hillary Clinton’s nomination is a signal that times have truly shifted in America. But the skewed gender relations that exist in America and in the world have gone on for hundreds of years, and the election of one female U.S. president will not undo centuries of history. In fact, it is hard to imagine the impact Clinton’s election will have on the United States. Recently, I read an article from TheAtlantic which proposed an interesting view about the way in which Clinton’s nomination could affect the American public. Since Barack Obama has undertaken the presidency, some political scientists theorize that “racist rhetoric” has actually become more acceptable among many white Americans. This came as quite surprise to me. Race, like sex, has become a much more popular topic than in the past. For this reason, I felt that many Americans were probably more aware and informed about race relations in the U.S. However, this theory suggests that Obama’s presidency has actually been met with a certain amount of backlash. The article goes on to note that same effect may occur with Hillary Clinton and sexism toward woman—that by having a female president in office, sexist rhetoric will actually become more tolerable.
This may seem counterintuitive, however, the more I contemplated it, the more this theory makes sense to me. At least in the case of race, I have personally witnessed people try to deny that racism exists or seemingly become more resentful of race issues the more they are discussed in the news and media. I imagine (though I have no evidence of this) that this may partially be due to the way the news is presented. First, for many, many years, issues of racism and sexism were seldom reported in the mainstream media because they were not viewed as really intolerable acts. Therefore, for many older, white Americans, all this talk of social injustices may be new information and seem to be “unsettling the peace” so to speak.
Secondly, it is no secret that news we absorb today has a slant. Finding truly journalistic, nonbiased news is becoming harder and harder. Also true, is that most mainstream news (aside from Fox) has a leftwing slant. Though the mainstream media leans left, this does not mean the American public does. Republican or right-leaning voters might feel alienated by the media, or even just not trust it at all.
And third, a lot of news stations I see today do not just present the stories, they will also bring on multiple other journalists, experts, or people involved in the story to comment and discuss the issue. Many times, these commentators end up arguing or cutting one another off. In my view, this creates a rather reality-showesque feeling to many new channels. It is entertaining, but can be confusing and leaves the news stories feeling somehow diluted. Many viewers might feel confused by the end of the segment or as if the news they have received is inaccurate or subject to opinion because so many different opinions are being mixed in the facts of a story. While many other subjects factor into white America’s reaction to minority and female presidents, I believe the media does play some role.
Presently, it is easy to find sexist rhetoric in the media and across America. Potentially, this is a backlash from a female being in such a powerful position. But it should also be noted that Hilary Clinton’s opponent is altogether unprecedented. I find it hard to tell if Donald Trump is a symptom of the underlying sexism and racism that always existed in America, or if he is a cause that furthers it and makes it more acceptable. My guess is some of both.
No, I do not believe that Hillary Clinton’s nomination and possible election will be the end of sexism in America. In fact, I think it could potentially create and environment for backlash and one in which many people think that the “glass ceiling” is broken and people should stop talking about it. However, I do not think this hostile environment will last forever for either minorities or women. In the long term, the election of Barack Obama and the nomination of Hillary Clinton will create real social change, but in the short term, it might be a little rocky.
