Are You a "Gender Voter"?
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
December 30, 2007 11:08pm CST
I decided to start this discussion in part due to the distinct possibility the U.S. will elect its first female President next year. There have been quite a few posts on this topic here on myLot with many different opinions aired, both for and against a woman President in general and Hillary Clinton in particular. This isn't a discussion about Hillary, although I'm sure her name will come up, but it's about female leaders in general.
In another discussion here one of my friends said she rarely votes for female candidates because of their likely stance on a particular issue. An offline friend of mine, a woman in her seventies, told me once in no uncertain terms she didn't believe a woman should be President because she would be "too emotional". The most surprising thing I've noticed both online and off is most of those openly opposing a woman in this high a position have been women! And here I've been worried my entire adult life that I'd be denied the chance to live to see a woman Commander-In-Chief because MEN wouldn't let it happen...lol!
So, let's have a real discussion here. Let's try to keep it clean and friendly but I hope you all feel free to speak your mind about this issue. (OK, speak your mind in a clean and friendly way...lol) Here's my question - if all else were pretty much equal between two candidates, would you NOT vote for a woman for President or some other very high position just because of her gender? I worded it that way because although I still hope to see a woman break through that ultimate "glass ceiling" in my lifetime I've always said I wouldn't vote for someone just because she's a woman, but I'm sure there are some that would. This is directed at men and women. So, are you a gender voter or not?
Annie
7 people like this
14 responses
@bstinson1989 (588)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I personally am not a gender voter, just as I am not a racial voter either. I am also not a party voter. I vote on a candidate based on their credentials and on whether or not they would make a good president of the United States of America.
When one takes into consideration what Hillary Clinton has going for there, there is a strong possibility that there will be a female in office in the year 2008 [techniqually, 2009]. She is a senator of New York, which has gone through so many things after 9/11. She also has experience in the White House. Her husband, Bill Clinton, after all left a legacy in the White House that will never be forgetten. She is very educated, and speaks with sternness in her voice. She is also a female of action.
However, there are some things that she does have going against her. One such thing is, in fact, that she is a female. Another such thing is that her husband, Bill Clinton, had an affair on her with another woman. She was able to stick through it however. Hillary Clinton is also part of the infamous Bones and Skeletons secret society, as was President Bush. She is basically destonied to win however.
So in answer to your question of whether or not I am a gender voter- the answer is no. I believe that Hillary Clinton has a lot going for her, and I will not hold her gender against her when I take into considertion who I would like to vote for in the 2008 election.
Be sure to vote everyone in the United States, and everyone in the world! If one does not vote, then you will end up with someone else in the highest power- making descions that are not good for the majority, but instead, good for the minority.
3 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
31 Dec 07
Thanks so much for your comment, and I'd like to echo your sentiments - please, everyone, get out and vote! Or, if you have a problem getting to your local polling place, get an absentee ballot; it's very easy to do! If you're not registered, do so now, while you're thinking about it. Register online, register when you renew your driver's license or vehicle registration, it's very easy to do it now and there's no excuse not to!
Annie
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I don't consider myself a "gender voter" but as a male has got us in some pretty bad situations...a never ending war, illegal immigrants overrunning our country, real estate sales in a mess, dollar value down cost of living up, etc. etc. I think a woman could perhaps have done a better job of things or at least not so bad.
3 people like this
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I'm just a few years too young to vote, but I wouldn't vote for someone based on gender or religion.
Doing so suggests extreme bias, in my opinion, and I try to be balanced in all things I do.
I will only vote for people who's policy I agree with. If they're pro-constitution, have an awesome track record, and integrety (and such things are easily kept track of)...then I will be inclined to vote for them.
Personally, I've found that most of the recent candidates have none of what I just mentioned. A few do, and one has earned a fan outta me.
I'd love for us to have a female president someday, simply because there's been so many guys. But I don't want our first girl president to be just as bad as a few male ones. That would defeat the purpose.
Ergo, whoever I vote for in the future will be based on how I think they'll do the job, and for no other reason.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I wouldn't vote for a woman based on her gender but I wouldn't vote against her either. It would have to depend on a lot of factors that really can't be covered by saying "if all things were basically equal". ut since we're being hypothetical... if everything really was equal, I liked them equally, and there were absolutely no other dicerning factors then I'd probably go with the woman.
3 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I understand where you're coming from with my choice of words ("if all things were basically equal"); I struggled with how to put that. I guess what I was getting at is if neither the male nor the female had any horrible "negatives" against them. I didn't want to have this turn into another discussion just about Hillary because although she is the woman in the spotlight this year as the first female candidate to really be considered a serious contender for the nomination I meant this as a more "generic gender" discussion if that makes any sense. I've talked with people who have actually said if it were between a man and a woman they'd vote for the man even if they disagreed with him more on some issues than they did with the woman.
I think I'd do the same as you, if there were no other discerning factors I'd probably go with the woman too. It really is strange that the U.S. would be one of the last of the developed nations to elect a female leader.
Annie
2 people like this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
31 Dec 07
Hi anniepa, Men have been running the world for most of recorded history, only in recent years has any major country elected women. If you look at the state that the world is in, I don't think men have much to be proud off. I would gladly vote for a woman, if I thought her to be the best candidate. Blessings.
3 people like this
@janisspaggiari59 (656)
• United States
1 Jan 08
I am a woman and I would love to see Hillary come in and break that dam glass ceiling once and for all.Its time for a change,its time for a woman and its a womans time.This time I guess you could say I'm a gender voter.I wouldn't vote for a woman if I thought she was incapable but I believe that Hillary is just as capable as any man.Men and woman have only had the choice of voting for a man.Finally we have a chance to vote for a woman.You mentioned someone saying that women are too emotional to be President.That would depend on the woman.I don't see Hillary to be too emotional.There are
emotional women but that is not my description of Hillary.Hillary is a strong woman.Not all women are the same.I want to see a woman President in my life time and I want it to be Hillary.I will vote for her not only because she's a woman but because of the kind of woman she is.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
7 Jan 08
The thing that gets me about those who say women are too emotional is in my opinion it's some men whose emotions we have to be more concerned with these days. When they say "emotional" they seem to mean all soft and weepy or maybe to be affected by PMS when dealing with foreign policy but isn't it also worrisome to have a man with a bad temper and huge ego with his finger on the button? There are people of either gender who would make a good president as well as those who I'd never want to be the leader of the free world!
Annie
1 person likes this
@janisspaggiari59 (656)
• United States
7 Jan 08
I hate it when emotional weakness is unloaded onto all women.Not all women are all weak emotionally.Some women can
look soft on the outside but be strong and tough within.We are not all whimps.Women are sterotyped.
2 people like this
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
31 Dec 07
No I wouldn't. My basis for voting is what that person is going to do for the people and country as a whole, not what gender they are!! See, I have been served a ration of crap before because I generally do not vote because I do not like the candidates and what they "promise" to do for the people and the country. I feel why should I vote if I don't like who is going to be my President? People tell me that it DOES matter what my vote is and how dare me for not voting and blah, blah, blah...but no matter what, I feel the same, why vote if I don't like ANY of them. By telling me that my vote matters, does that mean that I should vote for someone I DON'T like? It's just too stupid to me.
So I know that Hilary is the top runner right now, but to be honest if I didn't like her (I'm keeping neutral right now LoL) I STILL wouldn't vote...WHY bother?
It really just depends on what they plan on doing for the people, you know!!
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
11 Jan 08
I agree that it would be a nice change. I don't understand why so many people have such a strong hatred for Hillary. And when she teared up the other day I thought it was awful the way they piled on her. Mitt Romney cried in public on three different occasions several weeks ago and nobody said about him that he wouldn't be able to handle being President in difficult situations because he'd cried but there were several who said that about Hillary. IMHO crying or showing emotion in any way isn't a sign of weakness whether it's a man or a woman. Just because someone can be moved to tears doesn't meant they're weak or incapable of dealing with a tough situation and acting accordingly.
Sorry, I guess I got off-topic a bit. Anyway, I think it's exciting for women of my generation to see how far we've come. I think whether you love Hillary or hate her - and there doesn't seem to be any in between with her for some reason - we have to admit she's done a great deal for women of her generation and she and other women like her have opened doors for future generations, like that of my 11 year old granddaughter who I have no doubt will be President one day!
Annie
1 person likes this
@dfollin (25347)
• United States
31 Dec 07
No,Iam not a gender voter.I vote for who I think can do the job.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
14 Jan 08
I will vote for the person that I see as most able to do the job. I don't care if they are male or female. At this point there are no women running that I would even consider voting for (and I didn't even say the H word).
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
31 Dec 07
It's funny you bring up this issue that and to quote you...."a woman in her seventies, told me once in no uncertain terms she didn't believe a woman should be President because she would be "too emotional". The most surprising thing I've noticed both online and off is most of those openly opposing a woman in this high a position have been women! .." That brings me to mind something my own mother for instance used to say that the worse bosses to work under are women..LOL
I really couldn't care less who is president, male or female, it really depends on who is the best qualified. I'm still mixed upon who to vote for period this coming election year. I mean lets face it, during their campaigning ALL candidates spew out wonderful promises for their administration should they be elected, and rarely has anyone kept any of their policies
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
31 Dec 07
I've also heard it said that women bosses are the worse; personally, I've had good and bad of each gender but my very worse was a man...lol...I'd like to hang him up by - well, you get the drift, Pye!
I'm quite mixed up too. The problem is, during the primary campaign most of the candidates lean either far left or far right, depending on their party, in order to get their base then in the election they kind of tend to meet in the middle in order to get the moderates of either party and the independent and undecided voters. Too bad the candidates don't seem to realize that while some of us may have views on some issues that are further to the right or left, in general we're a country of moderates. Sadly, it's the more radical people on the opposite edge of most issues that make the rest look bad.
Annie
1 person likes this
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
15 Jan 08
Hi Annie...
Good topic...and one that we need to discuss more. My answer is a short one...no..I am not a gender voter. I believe woman are just as capable as men...if they are trained and educated for the position. In Hillary's case she has had years of experience in many areas of public service. She was in the White House and had to be privy to what went on in Bill's decision making processes.
I think she brings a lot to the table and I would love to see what she could do as the Commander in Chief. So gender is not an issue for me...just a belief that whomever I vote for is qualified to fulfill their obligations and responsibilities in a way that is for the greatest good of the all. Hah...I can dream can't I? (smiles)
Raia
@RowenaTheWitch (947)
• Italy
31 Dec 07
if there were a man and a woman with an almost identical political program I would vote for the woman, because more women in charge means more laws in favour of women, that's obvious.
I think that the sad thing you noticed (women who don't want to vote a woman) is caused because women don't have a ...uhm...I don't know how to translate it in english..."class concience"They don't see themselves as part of a group, so they don't do anything to advantage that group.
If a guy is, for example, a factory worker, and one of the canditates is a factory worker, the guy would be more in favour of the factory worker, even at an unconcious level, because if the worker is elected it's more probable that he will do laws in favour of factory workers.
That simple concept is not understood by a lot of people(expecially women!) when it comes to women, on the contrary they accuse you of being sexist if you advantage women because you are a woman
2 people like this
