As with many recent American presidential elections, gender dynamics are at the heart of the 2024 election, shaping voter behavior, media coverage, and policy debates. Gender issues are woven into the political discourse, reflecting more general shifts in how men and women are perceived, and ultimately how the narratives about candidates and the electorate are constructed and made. The Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, is the first woman of color to run for president on a major party ticket, while Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has projected a traditional, masculine leadership style that has both attracted and repelled different voter groups. This election is an opportunity to look at the intricate ways in which gender dynamics play out on the national stage and in the electorate.
Historical Context of Gender in Politics
To get a sense of what gender dynamics mean in the 2024 election, it’s important to consider the history of gender in American politics. Women won the right to vote in 1920, but it took many decades to achieve significant political representation. Women have been slow to be elected to the highest offices in the land, and their election has been beset with many challenges. While women have run for office, they have been scrutinized more harshly than their male counterparts, and questions about their leadership abilities have been based on gender stereotypes. For example, Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid highlighted these persistent issues as she was subjected to intense media criticism and personal attacks that were often gendered.
Following this long trajectory of women breaking through the barriers of political representation, the rise of Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate in 2024 is similar. It’s a continuation of what other female politicians have had to endure, but it’s also progress in the normalization of women in power.
Kamala Harris: Gendered Expectations and Racial Dynamics
Kamala Harris is the first woman of color to run for the presidency from a major party, and intersectional gender dynamics are front and center. In Harris’s case, gender cannot be divorced from race, as both aspects of her identity shape how she is seen and treated. Harris is often depicted in the media as a woman of color who has achieved great things, but whose accomplishments often walked a fine line between admiration and subtle reinforcement of stereotypes that affect women of color, such as the trope of the “angry Black woman,” or critiques of her assertiveness as being “too much” for a presidential candidate. The dynamics also shape her ability to reach a wide swath of the electorate and make it harder for her to navigate the biases that still exist in American political culture.
Harris is subject to a double standard in which her policies, demeanor, and qualifications are scrutinized in ways that are not applied to her male counterparts. Female politicians are expected to be tough and approachable, assertive and empathetic — expectations that are not as rigidly applied to men. In particular, Harris must appeal to a broad coalition of voters and navigate these gendered expectations, making her campaign one of the most scrutinized in history.
Donald Trump: Masculinity in Politics
On the opposite end of the gender spectrum, Donald Trump embodies a traditional, hyper-masculine leadership style that has been his asset and his Achilles heel. In his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, rhetoric that often celebrated strength, dominance, and unapologetic boldness, the hallmarks of traditional views of masculinity, were hallmarks of his rhetoric. This persona spoke to a portion of the electorate that prized these qualities, especially during a period of perceived economic and cultural change. Part of Trump’s appeal to white, working-class men, in particular, is the role of masculinity in his political brand.
But this hyper-masculine image has alienated many female voters, especially those in the suburbs, who were key in shifting electoral outcomes in the 2018 midterms and 2020 presidential election. In modern politics, Trump's behavior and language toward women alienated a cohort of voters — the "suburban mom" demographic, often cited in political analysis — and added to the gender divide. During Trump’s previous campaigns, the gender gap in voting patterns became particularly pronounced, with women voting overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates and men more likely to vote Republican. These dynamics are just as important in 2024 as the gender divide in American politics gets starker.
Voter Behavior and the Gender Gap
Modern American elections have been defined by the gender gap in voting. Women turned out in higher numbers than men, a trend that has been consistent with previous elections, in 2020. What’s more, women of color, especially Black women, have emerged as a key voting block for the Democratic Party, helping to define the party’s agenda and outcomes in pivotal races. On the other hand, white men, especially those without a college degree, have been a core base of support for Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Gender will be a big factor in how voters line up in the 2024 election, which is expected to further highlight these divides. Harris's candidacy may energize women voters, especially younger women and women of color, who view her as a historic and symbolic figure of progress. Meanwhile, Trump's message of law and order, economic nationalism, and anti-wokeism still resonates with many male voters who feel that social changes have pushed traditional notions of masculinity and male identity to the fringes.
The voting preference gap is not the only gender gap; gender also affects policy priorities. Research has found that women tend to focus on issues such as healthcare, education, and gun control, while men tend to focus on economic issues and national security. The two candidates’ platforms reflect these differing priorities. Harris and the Democrats have talked about reproductive rights, equal pay, and expanded healthcare access, while Trump and the Republicans have talked about deregulation, lower taxes, and tough-on-crime policies. Gender, then, affects not only voter behavior but also the policy landscape of the election.
The Role of Gender in Media Coverage
The 2024 election is no exception to media coverage of political candidates that reflects and reinforces societal gender norms. For Kamala Harris, the challenge is being the first woman of color in the race, and every move is under a microscope. Her likability, wardrobe, and tone are all things the media focuses on about her, and often they reduce her to her gender instead of seeing her as a serious policy candidate. It’s emblematic of a larger trend in how female politicians are covered — through a lens that focuses more on personality and appearance than on male candidates.
But Donald Trump’s gender dynamics are played out in how the media reports on his aggression and confidence. His controversial statements are often headline news, but rarely about whether he is fit for office because of his personality. Instead, Trump’s brashness and assertiveness are viewed through a masculine lens, where such traits are considered leadership qualities, even if they alienate some voters. Media coverage of these double standards contributes to how gender affects the political discourse and voter perceptions.
Policy Implications of Gender Dynamics
The 2024 election also has concrete policy implications for gender issues beyond the symbolic representation of gender. Reproductive rights are one of the most pressing gendered issues on the ballot, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade abortion laws in the states. Reproductive rights have been a central focus of Kamala Harris’ campaign, where she has positioned herself as a defender of women’s autonomy and healthcare. In contrast, Donald Trump has aligned himself with conservative factions that seek to restrict abortion access to appeal to his base of religious and socially conservative voters.
The 2024 election is also gendered in equal pay and workplace equality. Harris, meanwhile, has called for stronger enforcement of equal pay laws and policies to close the gender wage gap, while Trump and the Republican Party have instead pushed for deregulation and economic growth, arguing that a free market approach will benefit all workers, regardless of gender. The deep ideological divide between the candidates and their parties is shown by these differing approaches to gender issues.
Conclusion
The gender dynamics of the 2024 presidential election are a reflection of larger debates about what men and women should do in public life. Kamala Harris's candidacy is a historic moment for gender representation in American politics, but it also highlights the ongoing obstacles women face in leadership roles, especially when they are also people of color. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s brand of masculinity remains popular with some voters, widening the gender gap in voting behavior. The 2024 election will not only determine the fate of gendered policies such as reproductive rights and workplace equality but will also set the tone for how American society will understand gender and leadership in the 21st century.
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