Media Round Up: Week of August 2nd

Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

Mothers are increasingly running for office. Will COVID-19 sideline their momentum?

Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th

This election cycle, there has been a surge of mothers with children at home running for office. The pandemic is affecting their campaigns, making it difficult to manage childcare while handling their professional lives. While the path for moms isn’t easy, having more parents in office results in important representation and policy change for families. This cycle, we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for the success of these dedicated moms.

You can read the full article here.

The Decades-Long Debate Over Whether Women Vote Like Their Husbands

Marie Solis, Vice

Before women had the right to vote, political strategists assumed women would just cast the same votes as their husbands. A century later, many still believe that the “marriage gap” affects women’s voting patterns. While there is some evidence to support the theory, there are lots of other social factors at play – like economic independence, education level, and ideology. Ultimately, women’s voting patterns are more likely due to social dynamics, not explicit coercion.

You can read the full article here.

Biden’s VP should be prepared for an onslaught of online misogyny unlike anything seen before

Karen Tumulty, The Washington Post

A new report uses data analytics to track how the women presidential candidates were treated on Twitter during their campaigns. Unsurprisingly, the three leading women faced more attacks than their men competitors. Another analysis shows that women are less likely to flag or call out the content because they perceived it as normal. Once Biden selects his VP, the candidate will be thrust into this sexist abuse with newfound intensity.

You can read the full article here.

Analysis finds record high number of woman versus woman congressional races

Rebecca Klar, The Hill

As the 2020 elections progress, women continue to break records. This year, there will be a 38 all-women congressional races, beating the 2018 record of 33. Three of the races are between senatorial candidates, including two tight races in Maine and Iowa. In the past, even having one woman in a race could be unusual. Now, as more women run, a woman vs. woman race is becoming part of the new normal.

You can read the full article here.

‘Blatant disrespect of Black women’: Women leaders criticize treatment of Black women being considered as Biden VP pick

Rebecca Morin, USA Today

Women of color have faced the brunt of sexist remarks during Biden’s VP vetting process. A new letter, signed by over 100 Black women leaders and activists, condemns these attacks. Comments like these make it clear how many unfair barriers Black women face on the campaign trail. The letter says, “While some of the relentless attacks on Black women and our leadership abilities have been more suggestive than others, make no mistake–we are qualified and ambitious without remorse.”

You can read the full article here.

 

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