Now that women are rising to higher positions of political power, will we finally see more coverage of their policies and less coverage of their clothing, jewelry and shoes?
The coverage of Nancy Pelosi’s ascent to speaker of the House suggests that people still like to discuss the appearance and physical traits of female politicians. But that focus could shift to more substantive issues when women occupy more seats in the government, says Sarah Brewer, associate director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University in Washington, D.C.
“There have been many studies and content analyses on media coverage that demonstrate that women politicians are covered on their personal appearance and whether they’re parents or are married — to the detriment of policy coverage,” Brewer says. “I’m wondering if it might be attributable to anomaly and outsider status, and that could get better over time.”
We found a sampling of quotes that demonstrate a fascination with how female leaders look. But we also found that men are sometimes subject to commentary on their appearance — although perhaps not as often. It seems that people are fascinated with the appearance of all leaders, no matter their gender.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein
When she was mayor of San Francisco
`Feinstein, 49, this city’s first woman mayor, and a controversial one, is dressed in the tenderest shade of mauve. More attractive than her photos suggest, her classic Russian face is heightened by intelligence and drive and confidence.’–Boston Globe, May 29, 1983.
