Adam Hansmann
Campus Editor
ON WEDNESDAY, November 14th, in an open forum hosted by Women in Politics and Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Honor Society, three University professors discussed whether or not America is ready for a woman president. Attendance at the South Dining Hall’s Oak Room was strong but, perhaps discouragingly, predominantly female.
Professor Gail Bederman, a History Department member who currently teaches a upper-level course on the history of U.S. sexuality, offered her analysis of the topic first. Prof. Bederman main argument was that, contrary to popular opinion, there is not a natural progression towards equal representation within American political power structures. History itself reveals that women are not gradually emerging from political oppression, she claimed. Instead, female success in political realms is usually attributable to situational factors, such as a family tie, a local peculiarity, or an insider appointment.
Furthermore, she argued, democracy is especially unfavorable for woman political hopefuls. Democracy, she claimed, was for a long time primarily “about white, male suffrage” despite supposed egalitarian principles. The history of women in politics, then, has been the story of women trying to chip away at male societal and political dominance.
Prof. Bederman concluded that women will continue to struggle to attain power in America unless major changes occur. The political environment, she believes, will likely continue to restrict women’s quest for power. They may once in a while attain a new degree of power, only to see an immediate regression.
Political Science professor Eileen Botting, who teaches a course on Modern Political Thought, addressed the question with a different approach. Professor Botting first distiguished between whether women are capable of winning the Presidency and whether such a solution was a practical possibility. Technically, she pointed out, a naturally-born woman, over the age of 35, is eligible for the Presidency.
America, Prof. Botting argued, pragmatically is not ready for a woman president. “Racism and sexism,” she said, “are practically American traditions and that is a sad fact of our culture.” In the absence of these barriers a woman president would be normatively preferable. “We should have a woman President,” she proclaimed, “and we should also have…a Native American President, and a poor President.” While Prof. Botting was bold in her claims, she offered no insight as to how such outcomes should be brought about – whether American democratic institutions should be subverted for the sake of “affirmative” political action.
Political Psychology instructor Darren Davis, presented a more psychological analysis of America’s acceptance of woman political figures. He cited polls that reveal that people seem to be open to the idea of having a women President. Polls he referenced also show a favorable response to Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In general, he showed, people think Senator Clinton is a viable political candidate and a strong leader – preferences confirmed by her successful Senate campaigns in the state of New York. But, he countered, “I don’t believe people are telling the truth.” He pointed to people’s perception of Senator Clinton. People like her, he agrees, but the language used in reference to her reveals that sexist undertones still direct public opinion of her. People might soon elect someone like Clinton, he conceded, but, “they would not give her the honeymoon they might give a male President.”
Of the three presentations, Professor Davis gave probably the most moderate analysis. While he was not willing to report a cheery, optimistic outlook of female political prospects, he acknowledged that the American society is at least open to the idea. “The American society agrees that women should be involved,” he said, “but not at the level of the President.”
Each of the three professors provided good insights into the prospects of a woman becoming President. Most also agreed that such an outcome would be normatively preferable – considering America’s egalitarian political structures – but that the “de facto” dominance of “men in politics” could very easily continue to prevail.
America certainly should be ready for a woman President. Most Americans would probably agree that one should not vote for a woman for the sake of voting for a woman. Instead they should vote for the best candidate, regardless of sex.
Contact Adam at ahansman@nd.edu.
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