When a reporter or journalist writes about male politicians, nothing related to the candidate’s looks or appearance will be included in the final version. However, when the politician happens to female, have you ever noticed how there will be some automatic mention of her beauty (or the lack of it)?
Sure, one-gendered reporting that mentions a female candidate’s more superficial qualities may not sound like a big deal, but taken as a whole, it renders women’s role in politics as merely decorative. What’s more concerning too is that it actually detracts from the most important aspect of the political process – the policies and issues that plague us as a nation.
Source: Facebook
Case in point? Let’s take a look at current candidate running for GE14, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas. Exuding both good looks and smarts, it’s no wonder she’s been called “beauty with brains” on many media platforms. However, the focus on her looks seems to have created some issues for her that she has actually voiced out to remind the public that she is NOT using her looks to get more votes (contrary to what people may think). Of course, in an ideal scenario, this isn’t something that female politicians like Jo-Anna should be explicitly calling out.
Source: NST
Truth is, neither female nor male political candidates get votes purely due to their attractiveness. Instead, they get votes because their messages and vision for the country resonate with the public and surely, they have shown themselves as capable politicians who actually get things done and can “walk the walk”.
I have not known a single Malaysian who has ever hinted at voting for anyone solely because they think the candidate is attractive. Sure, any of us who are eligible to vote, may be temporarily swayed by the novelty of a physically-blessed politician, but when it comes down to using the vote where it counts, few would actually waste their vote on a candidate who is merely just “pretty” or “hot”. Am I right?
Source: Facebook
To those who may even suggest that Jo-Anna may be using her looks to get more votes, it’s just not plausible even if she was secretly trying to. At the end of the day, whether a candidate is attractive or not, it has always been about the policies and how much those policies affect those who vote for them.
The casual sexism that courses through our political chatter only serves to hold us back and doesn’t create an even playing field. The men who dominate politics do not need an extra leg by reducing women to stereotypes – what they need are competent opponents who can stand up to any attack on their policies. Which is why worthy opponents, even if they happen to be women, will create healthy competition that can benefit all of us.
Remember to vote for the most promising candidate without being distracted by their looks!
Also read: 5 Things You Should Know About Jo-Anna, the Politician That’s Rampas-ing Everyone’s Heart
