The Glass Ceiling and Sexism That Remain: Poll Shows Vast Majority of American Women Angry About Sexism in Wake of 2008 Election
Nov 18th, 2008 by admin
There’s an interesting article on the Daily Beast today about a poll it commissioned Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB) to conduct. Demographics of the 1,000 persons polled were as follows:
• Males [N=461]
• Females [N=542]
• Democrats [N=361]
• Republicans [N=301]
• Independents [N=341]
Highlights of the poll results:
• 85 percent of women feel strongly that a female president would definitely bring some good qualities that are lacking in most male candidates. They say it is time to elect a women president, believing such a victory will serve as a role model for the next generation. Women reject the idea that a women president would be too emotional and end up crying in the Oval Office.
• But 4 in 10 men freely admit sexist attitudes towards a female president. 39 percent of men say that a male is “naturally more suited” to carrying out the duties of the office. Almost equal numbers doubted that a women would be strong enough to carry out the job of Commander in Chief.
• 45 percent of those polled said it would be harder for a single mother than a single father to run for President. Only 10 percent said it would be harder for a single father.
• 61 percent of women saw gender bias in the media’s treatment of the candidates. Only 48 percent of women thought Hillary Clinton was treated fairly by the media, and only 29 percent believe Sarah Palin was treated fairly. By contrast, nearly 8 in 10 voters thought the press treated Obama and Biden fairly.
• Women over 50 in the proportion of 2 to 1 said Sarah Palin was subjected to unfair comments by the media.
•70 percent of women believe the topics of clothes and appearance are not fair game for discussion of woman candidates.
• More than two-thirds of women polled, 68 percent, said they were being treated unfairly in the workplace.
• 72 percent of women say they are being treated unfairly in politics.
• Whereas men, patting themselves all over the back, by 2/1 think women are treated equally at home, only 48 percent of women agree.
Only 20 percent of women polled identified as feminists, despite the overwhelming agreement among them that women are treated unfairly in the workplace, the media, in politics and at home. But, I understand that. The word “feminism” has been co-opted by all sorts of groups and individuals and organizations that are anything but feminist, and it’s confusing, discouraging and irritating. The bright spot is, women are angry, and perhaps we’ll mobilize for real change, real revolution, in the days to come.
Heart
As an example of a man who should know better, but could not see the problem with the media treatment of Governor Palin, Peter Hart at FAIR had this to say in his story Top Troubling Tropes of Campaign ‘08
Good old clueless liberal men. What planet was he living on? Of course he could not see Democrats as treating Palin unfairly; that would be right-wing paranoia, with so little actual evidence! This from the organization Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting? What is fair or accurate about this account?
It is a good sign that women are angry about what transpired during this election. It could prove to be a real wake-up call. Women may be fooled about the meaning of the word feminism, but it appears that does not imply rejecting its principles, or turning a blind eye to unfair treatment.