Additional Coverage:
- America’s glass ceiling remains — some reasons why a woman once again lost the presidency (newsbreak.com)
Despite being the first Black and South Asian woman to run for president as the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris faced a resounding loss against Donald Trump. This defeat highlights the enduring glass ceiling for women in American politics.
Farida Jalalzai, a scholar on women political leaders, attributes Harris’s loss partly to gender bias, which was exploited by Trump’s misogynistic and racist appeals. This election underscores the country’s limitations in achieving true gender equality.
Unlike Hillary Clinton in 2016, Harris downplayed the historic nature of her candidacy. However, Trump’s rise as the “new normal” of the Republican Party has normalized sexist rhetoric. His attacks on Harris as a “liberal extremist” aimed to reinforce the idea that women are not capable of presidential leadership.
The United States stands apart from other countries with women leaders due to its nuclear power and military dominance, which have traditionally been viewed as masculine domains. Women presidents in other countries often ascend through appointment in parliamentary systems, where their terms are less secure. The presidency of the United States, however, is a directly elected position with a more dominant role.