Women and politics how gender impacts on representation? - The specific case of France's presidential campaign.

Résumé du document

During some of the past presidential campaigns in France and the US, some candidates were women. Although it didn't make much news in the US, because the other candidate was a black man, in France people made much ado about Ségolène Royal's candidacy. We could hear some people saying, 'I'm going to vote for Ségolène because she is a woman' or the opposite. Being a woman was, for Ségolène Royal, a benefit as well as a drawback. As women are getting more involved in politics, the refusal of politicians to share their public space with women grows constantly. Historically, women have always been excluded from the public sphere and showing themselves there was considered as a transgression of the role of their sex. But the main question is, why is it still impossible for women to get into politics?

Extraits

[...] During the past presidential campaigns in France and the US some candidates were women. Although it didn't make that much news in the US, because the other candidate was a black man, in France people made much ado about Ségolène Royal's candidacy. We could hear some people saying, “I'm going to vote for Ségolène because she is a woman” or the opposite. Being a woman was for Ségolène Royal a benefit and a drawback. As women are getting more and more involved in politics, the refusal of politician to share their public space with women grows constantly. [...]

[...] Even it has sharply decreased, the gender gap in trade unions' involvement is still persistent in most of the countries. In France, union activity is almost equal considering the gender. This problem is also crucial in the associating world. As you can see it on table women and men share space in the different kinds of associations. Since the 20th century, if women have always been excluded from the public sphere they were more accepted in associations. Some associations constituted the basis of women identity, composed exclusively of women they struggled for women causes. [...]

[...] Women can not seize their own body, and so their gender identity because of that. Women's body in the 20th has been their best enemy. Historically, women in politics were usually classed into three stereotypes that have been repoussoirs from the highest spheres. - The previous categories of female politicians. The first category is the one of the “schemer woman”, to which we can associate Edith Cresson for example. This figure over erotised refers paradoxically to a “virile feminity” because it embodies a woman with sexuality allegedly provocative, active and dominant and so her influence upon men. [...]

[...] More than the absolute number of women representatives in parliaments it is their number in all the different ranks of the hierarchy. In France, in 2008, men monopolize the highest positions at the Assemblée Nationale. The statistic disequilibrium between men and women is also verified in governments. During a long time, women accessing to executive power were exceptions: Golda Meir in Israel (1969- 1974) and Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain (1979 -1990) were pioneers of this category. It is crucial to take into account the evolution of women's condition in executive power as they are getting more and more posts in governments. [...]

[...] We also remember the hand shaking between Bush and Sarkozy in which Sarkozy was placed upon a little cube that made up for his size comparing to Bush. All these episodes tend to show that Sarkozy is trying to send a message I've got some or rather really am Moreover is backing from Doc Gyneco a rap singer, notably noticed for his sexist points of view was a real symbol that confirmed this message. - have changed” In January 2007, for his official investiture he said have changed”, effectively he has become more ambivalent, deeper and more sensitive. [...]