Women Running For President in 2020 Op-Ed
Criticisms of the Women Running for President in 2020 Are Fair—But At What Cost?
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You also don't have to be a political scientist to anticipate the sexist challenges each woman will and is already facing, from media coverage poring over their "likability" to potential male rivals already accusing them of playing "identity politics." But one particularly nuanced challenge each woman must contend with is the often disproportionately high standards by which their records and moral characters are assessed.
That's not to say there aren't deeply valid criticisms of Warren, Gillibrand, Harris, and Gillibrand, and all of these criticisms necessitate awareness and dialogue. Yet, it's important to consider how we can balance conversations about their very real flaws, with consciousness of the biases that shape our reactions to women — especially women in their 50s and 60s, considering ongoing anti-women ageism in politics — and candidates of colour.
These same biases tend to motivate the hyper scrutiny to which we often subject candidates who don't fit our kneejerk perceptions of who belongs in power. Critiques of their "likability," "electability," "authenticity," "temperament," — and other gendered buzzwords — reflect broad cultural attitudes about who deserves status and power on the basis of identity.
Still, as campaign season picks up, Sen. Warren should face questions about her choice to share a DNA test "proving" her Native American heritage. In sharing the test, Warren has been criticized for propping up use of race science and further marginalizing Native Americans.