One size does not fit all: gender, audience, and problematizing the notion of 'candidate self-presentation' online
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Nevin, Jessica Venita.
One size does not fit all: gender, audience, and problematizing the notion of 'candidate self-presentation' online. Retrieved from
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TitleOne size does not fit all: gender, audience, and problematizing the notion of 'candidate self-presentation' online
Date Created2020
Other Date2020-10 (degree)
Extent1 online resource (ix, 247 pages)
DescriptionGender structures multiple aspects of how candidates present themselves to the public, and it is reinforced particularly by the media. However, I argue that it does not affect all aspects of self-presentation equally; that is, it may be easier for women to contest gender norms on some aspects than on others. I theorize that this is due to the public-private divide, which not only shapes expectations for how men and women candidates will present themselves on various aspects, but also the degree to which women will receive “backlash” for contesting those expectations. The closer to women’s essential private, domestic role an aspect of campaigns is, the more backlash they may receive, and the more complicated it may be for them to try to contest those norms. On the other hand, when aspects are more removed from their private role may allow for greater flexibility to contest norms. I investigate how gender structures three aspects of self-presentation – family roles, personality traits and issue competencies – to assess how men and women currently navigate self-presentation. I measure this by the degree to which women either contest gendered expectations by presenting themselves in gender-incongruent ways, or embody such expectations by pursuing a gender-congruent strategy. I understand candidates as reelection-seeking and backlash-avoidant. I rely on tweets, coded for mentions of family roles, traits and issues, from all major-party candidates for U.S. House in 2016 to address these questions. My findings are complex and nuanced. Overall, they demonstrate that women are especially less likely to mention their marital role than men are, but candidates of both genders mostly minimize mentions of family, suggesting that, with respect to family roles, the balance of gender power is relatively even on Twitter. Gender may be less salient there. However, the aspects of self-presentation that I examine have been shown to carry gendered connotations, and candidates’ minimizing them may be, in part, a reaction to those connotations. The aspects may receive less activity because campaigns perceive that they carry less salience when the balance of gender power is even. Thus, they are still strategizing around, performing, gender. In addition, women candidates tend to pursue gender-incongruent behavior in the personality traits they claim, avoiding even potentially positive feminine traits like “compassion.” Finally, policy issues are the only aspect on which women can embrace gender-congruent behavior, which they do by emphasizing feminine issues. I also explore how party may influence strategy when navigating gendered norms. These findings suggest that norms that are more closely tied to women’s private role are indeed more complicated to navigate.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses, ETD doctoral
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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