Is there a misogyny issue in our politics?

In recent years, women politicians in Canada have been speaking out about the vicious misogynistic and sexist abuse they receive on social media.

And some female politicians have been bold enough to speak out about cases of actual physical and verbal abuse they have encountered, not only from voters, but also from some male counterparts in legislative chambers in provincial capitals and on Parliament Hill.

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The abuse in many cases goes well beyond just mere partisan criticism of their policies or their performance as a political leader, taking on a nastiness and viciousness that is deeply troubling.

Indeed, such abuse is more widespread than many might believe and raises legitimate questions about whether Canadian politics has a serious problem of misogyny and hidden sexism.

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Opinion | Bob Hepburn: Is Kathleen Wynne so unpopular because she is a woman?

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I raised this question last week in a column in which I suggested sexism and misogyny play a role in the incredibly low popularity ratings of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

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The response was huge, with thousands of people commenting by email and on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. The vast majority of comments came from males. Virtually all of them were negative, accusing me of being naïve or of simply ignoring the fact that Wynne has made some unpopular policy decisions, such as selling off parts of Ontario Hydro or over high electricity rates.

They claimed Wynne’s extreme unpopularity is due simply to her policies and performance and has nothing to do with misogyny or sexism.

Obviously most voters cast their ballots based primarily on their pocketbook and overall political leanings. While there are some exceptions, voters are generally much harder on female leaders than they are on male leaders. Yes, women can be elected to top office in their first run, but the bar for them to perform well seems to be much higher than for a male leader. And when they fail to meet that bar in the minds of many voters, the drop in “popularity” is swift and deep.

A perceived “incompetence” might explain a large part of Wynne’s low ratings, but there are indications that her ultralow ratings are due to another factor, namely misogyny and sexism.

Criticism of Wynne, especially from right-wing partisans, is often sickeningly personal. Wynne’s staffers say many of the emails they receive daily are hateful, often misogynistic and homophobic.

Wynne “is a dishonest, ignorant and condescending A$$$$hole,” wrote one man in response to my column. Here are some facts to consider about Wynne and other Canadian women politicians:

First, Wynne’s popularity rating is lower than any Ontario premier in modern history, and you can’t tell me Dalton McGuinty, Mike Harris or Bob Rae were very popular at the end of their time as premier.

Second, Wynne’s unpopularity rating is worse among men than women, polls show.

Third, Wynne’s percentage of favourable voting intention is lower among men than women.

Fourth, not a single female premier has ever been re-elected and formed a second government in Canada. We have had six female premiers, from Newfoundland to B.C. representing Conservatives, Liberals, Social Credit and Parti Quebecois who have been defeated or quit before seeking re-election. Wynne and Alberta’s Rachel Notley are the only sitting women premiers.

Fifth, no woman has come close to leading either the federal Liberals or Tories in the last quarter century.

Sixth, the percentage of elected female politicians is relatively small, with some provincial legislatures having barely 25 per cent women.

Seventh, six female Alberta MLAs were so furious over violent threats and sexist comments they received that they recently held a fundraising event to raise awareness of misogyny and inequality in provincial politics.

Hillary Clinton faced similar misogynistic attacks during her failed U.S. presidential campaign in 2016. “I think sexism and misogyny are endemic in our society,” she has said in post-election interviews, adding she has observed what she calls “a backlash against women speaking out.”

All of which leads me to believe strongly that women political leaders are held to a higher standard than their male counterparts, and that they pay a higher price for making mistakes.

It also appears true that women in political leadership positions who are seen as tough often run up against resistance from women, as well as men, as they are perceived as violating norms associated with stereotypical male ways, such as being assertive and competitive.

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So what are we prepared to do about it? It’s a question we must ask as individuals, political partisans and as a society.

As Clinton warns, we can’t go backward in ensuring equality and fairness for women in politics, but that’s the direction we could be headed unless we act now.

Bob Hepburn appears Thursdays.