In the two months since Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential ticket there have been many discussions about Harris’ identity as a Black and South Asian American woman. Sydney L. Carr-Glenn looks at how her identity might influence how voters evaluate her and therefore her presidential election prospects. She writes that Black women politicians are often perceived to be angrier and more aggressive compared to non-Black women politicians and that voters’ levels of racial prejudice are also important for how they think of candidates. These factors, as well as historic racist stereotypes towards Black women, will play a critical role in the 2024 presidential election.
On Sunday, July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden made the stunning decision to drop out of the 2024 US Presidential Election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party presidential ticket. With Harris as the new Democratic Party candidate for this presidential election cycle, there have been many conversations surrounding what this could mean for the election and whether she can win. Furthermore, Harris’ election bid brings forth an important consideration: the extent to which her dual race-gender identity (as both Black-South Asian and female) will influence voters’ opinions towards her.
Harris’ intersectional identity
Given Harris’ intersectional identity, many have wondered how exactly America will respond to a Black female presidential candidate, and perhaps even a Black female President. The term intersectionality – coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989 – refers to the extent to which identities among marginalized individuals (especially Black women) leads them to experience a unique form of discrimination within society, on account of both their race and gender. In recent years, the intersectionality framework has expanded to consider how identities of race and gender impact the experiences of Black women in the political arena- both those seeking political office, as well as those already in office. Given the recent conversations that have been taking place surrounding Harris’ candidacy, it is critical to understand how her identity might influence her presidential election prospects.
Previous scholars of race, gender, and ethnicity in politics have found that both a candidate’s race and gender are consequential for how they are perceived by American voters. For example, (white) voters- particularly those with high levels of racial prejudice- tend to hold generally less favorable attitudes toward Black political candidates, relative to white candidates. Studies have also found similar results surrounding voter attitudes toward female candidates relative to males. For example, female political candidates have traditionally been subject to skepticism surrounding their viability and electability, as well as their leadership capabilities and ability to address “masculine” policy issues such as foreign policy or the economy.
Within my own research, I’ve assessed what this looks like for Black women, who lie at the intersection of these two groups. Specifically, I’ve evaluated whether Black women’s intersectional identity shapes how they are perceived and evaluated by American voters, in ways different from their opponents of other race-gender groups (i.e., Black men, white women, and white men). My findings show, most importantly, that Black women political figures are perceived to be angrier and more aggressive relative to their non-Black female counterparts. I also reveal that voters’ levels of racial prejudice are particularly consequential for how they evaluate political candidates. The relevance of this work is critical now (and perhaps more than ever) given that for the first time in American history, voters are likely to be given the opportunity to select a Black female candidate on a major party ticket in a general presidential election.
“Kamala Harris Visit to Wake Tech -43” (Public Domain) by waketechcc
The importance of race and gender in the 2024 presidential election
The road to November 5th won’t be an easy one for Vice President Harris to navigate. Previous research in this area coupled with my recent results indicate that considerations of both race and gender will be substantial components of this presidential election cycle. Historic stereotypes that have long been perpetuated and used to misrepresent Black women (such as the infamous “sapphire” trope- which characterizes Black women as loud, verbally abusive, and ill-tempered) will likely plague media coverage surrounding the election. In turn, these (mis) characterizations will doubtlessly have a significant impact on voters’ assessments when it comes time for them to fill out their ballots this November. And voters’ attitudes towards race (as well as gender) will play a highly critical role here, when it comes to perceptions and evaluations of Vice President Harris.
Given Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign platform and the looming possibility of Project 2025, there is no question that race (as well as gender) are major components in this election. Back in 2016, American voters saw first-hand the ways in which racially coded language mobilized Trump voters in ways we had not quite seen before. In many ways, the 2024 presidential election cycle is almost déjà vu once again- with similar language being used to activate racial attitudes and discredit Vice President Harris and the Democratic Party. With Kamala Harris now on the 2024 Democratic Party presidential ticket, considerations of both race and gender will be at the top of voters’ minds in the coming weeks. Ultimately, only time will tell how American voters will respond and whether we are ready for our first Black female President.
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