Why America was never ready for a woman to be elected as president

UPDATED: Nov 7, 2024 13:48 IST

Kamala Harris has probably just fumbled the biggest bag of her political career with her decisive loss against Donald Trump. It will only be a matter of time before hundreds of political pundits start picking apart her campaign, telling the masses what went wrong and how she could have done it better.

In the middle of all these discussions, one question stands out: Was America ever ready to elect a woman president?

For over two centuries, the U.S. presidency has been an exclusive boys' club with 46 presidents who were all men. Kamala Harris is the first woman of color to be nominated by a major party, making her candidacy groundbreaking. But history casts a long shadow, and many voters still cling to outdated notions about leadership being a “man’s job.

A recent poll by The Economist and YouGov stated that 57% of voters believe that America is ready to elect a woman president but this did not reflect on the U.S. polls. Many voters might say they support the idea of a woman president but hesitate when it comes to pulling the lever in the voting booth. This suggests certain gender biases continue to challenge the political careers of female candidates.

Many voters still associate leadership with traditional male traits, viewing women as less competent, leading to what is known as ‘pragmatic bias’—the belief that voting for a woman is impractical due to this widespread stereotype.

Media plays a huge role in shaping public perception. Women candidates often face scrutiny over their appearance and emotions rather than their policies. This can create a narrative that undermines their credibility. If we want to see women in power, we need to change how they’re portrayed in the media—less focus on hair and outfits, and more on ideas and policies.

So coming back to the question is America ready for a woman president? The answer isn’t straightforward. While there’s growing support and changing attitudes, deep-seated biases and societal expectations still pose challenges. What we can do in this situation, is to put more and more women in leadership roles, we need to keep pushing boundaries and changing minds because representation matters. America might not be fully ready yet, but with each election cycle and each conversation we have, we get closer to breaking that glass ceiling for good.