Does Your Opponent's Gender Make a Difference? A Content Analysis of the Use of Gender Stereotyped Issues in Female Candidates’ Campaigns in a Mixed-Gender versus an All-Women Races.

Author

Caley R. Hewitt, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow

Semester of Graduation

Spring 2022

Degree

Master of Mass Communication (MMC)

Department

Mass Communication

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

All-women races are steadily growing in politics as more women run with every election. While research shows how women campaign and face stereotypes when facing a male opponent or a female opponent, it does not assess how candidates may change their strategies when facing a male opponent or a female opponent. I ask if female candidates’ campaign differently on stereotypic issues between a mixed-gender election to an all-female election, specifically looking at the use of Twitter. These results showed that Democratic female candidates used more feminine-based issues facing a female opponent versus a male opponent. These results also show that Republican female candidates use more feminine issues facing a female challenger, but Republican women do not face male opponents as much as Democratic women. As such, the gender of the opponent for a female candidate will increase the use of feminine issues, but it could also be dependent on more factors than the opponent's gender.

Recommended Citation

Hewitt, Caley R., "Does Your Opponent's Gender Make a Difference? A Content Analysis of the Use of Gender Stereotyped Issues in Female Candidates’ Campaigns in a Mixed-Gender versus an All-Women Races." (2022). LSU Master's Theses. 5502.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/5502

Committee Chair

Bauer, Nichole

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.5502