Blair Williams
Melbourne, August 1, 2024
Following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, Kamala Harris is poised to become the first woman of colour to run as presidential candidate of a major political party in the US.
As the youngest Presidential nominee since Barack Obama, Harris, 59, is comparatively youthful compared with Biden, 81, and Donald Trump, 78.
Her age is likely to make her more appealing and relatable for younger Americans.
Polling has already found that 82% of voters under 30 — more than any other age group — thought Biden was too old to be an effective President.
Since Israel’s invasion of Gaza, Biden has also increasingly been losing the youth vote, with many disillusioned with his stance on the crisis. Research has demonstrated a stark generation gap around views on Israel and Palestine, with Americans under 30 much more likely to sympathise with Palestinians.
The Heads of the US’s most prominent Black sororities and fraternities, known as the ‘Divine Nine’, have already begun planning a massive voter organisation effort to support Harris. The organisations comprise more than two million young Black people — and their support could represent a significant political advantage.
Though still early days, it is clear that Harris has already reinvigorated the Democratic ticket and re-energised the voters they need most: women, African Americans and, especially, young people.
It is important for Harris to court this demographic — and ensure that they turn up to polling booths in November. Most younger voters — especially women and people of colour — vote Democrat, but only half of Americans aged 18-29 voted in 2020.
‘Brat’ memes and coconut emojis
Just hours after Biden’s announcement, Harris received a resounding endorsement from the often-cynical Gen Z and younger Millennials.
When British pop star of the summer Charli XCX tweeted ‘Kamala IS Brat’ on Sunday,
it instantly went viral. (To clarify, Brat is Charli XCX’s latest Chart-Topping Album, released last month. Many fans have since adopted the ‘brat’ identity, which is ‘to embrace your messiness and vulnerability, being your own authentic self’).
It is a trend currently dominating queer and Gen Z pop culture, as a ‘Brat Summer’ is declared in the Northern Hemisphere and those in the South enjoy a ‘Brat Winter.’
Even before Harris became the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee, this Kamala x Brat crossover had been building for weeks online, through memes and TikTok created by fan communities.
Memes can make politics more entertaining and accessible to younger voters and profoundly influence public perceptions of political leaders, especially during election campaigns.
Harris’ Youth Appeal
The adoption of Harris as a ‘brat’ is indicative of her youth appeal. Reading the room, the Harris campaign has embraced this trend, changing its official Twitter backdrop to a ‘Brat Green’ to mimic Charli XCX’s album cover. Coconut emojis and memes have likewise flooded social media platforms to demonstrate support.
This trend was inspired by a remark made by Harris at a White House event last May.
“My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, ‘I don’t know what is wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?’ while laughing. Then, in a serious tone, ‘You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you’,” she said.
After going viral at the time (while simultaneously being mocked by Conservatives) this quote has resurfaced with greater popularity in recent days.
It resonates with younger voters who admire Harris’ authenticity. Coconuts have since become a rallying cry for supporters, again demonstrating her youth appeal.
Harris must contend with Misogynoir
Yet politics can be a hostile game, especially for those who do not fit the white male status quo. Women politicians, especially leaders, have historically experienced sexism and misogyny from their peers, the public and the media.
The mainstream media plays a key role in shaping cultural and social attitudes toward gender norms, roles and stereotypes. It wields the power to influence public opinion.
The Australian media did just this in its portrayal of the First Woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who endured an unprecedented quantity and ferocity of criticism during her term.
Hillary Clinton, who came closest to breaking the highest glass ceiling in the US, likewise endured an onslaught of sexism and misogyny from the media, as well as the public and especially Trump.
Scholars analysing the 2016 Presidential Election found that television coverage favoured Trump and demonised Clinton. Print and online articles were often sexist and targeted her integrity.
And sexist stereotypes spread on social media (including memes emphasising female physical traits to depict Clinton as weak, ill or unattractive, and conversely memes highlighting ‘anti-feminine traits’ such as dishonesty or untrustworthiness.)
Research has found conservative media outlets with more traditional and right-wing audiences were more likely to be sexist in the coverage of Clinton, while sexism was a “significant predictor” of voter choice in the 2016 election, especially for white voters.
What, then, will Harris likely endure from more traditional media and the opposition during what is gearing up to be a divisive and vicious campaign season?
The Semiotic Violence
If her treatment as Vice-Presidential nominee during the 2020 election is any indication, Harris will likely be subjected to unprecedented levels of misogyny and racism.
One study examining gendered abuse of women political candidates in the 2020 election found that a majority was directed at Harris.
This included sexualised narratives (that she “slept her way to the top”), transphobic narratives (that she’s secretly a man), and racist narratives (questioning her citizenship and claiming she is not “Black enough” or “Indian enough”).
This is referred to as “semiotic violence”, where words are weaponised to attack women politicians to silence and ultimately deny them their civic rights.
As a Black and Indian woman, Harris faces what has been termed ‘misogynoir, a specific kind of racist misogyny aimed at Black women, who are frequently stereotyped as being “angry” and hypersexualised.
Media coverage of Harris’ 2020 vice presidential nomination unduly focused on her gender and race, with one-quarter of news articles including a racist or sexist stereotype (though largely due to quoting Trump’s ad hominem attacks).
The ‘Angry Black Woman’ stereotype was most prevalent in this coverage, with Harris portrayed as ‘mean,’ ‘nasty’ and mad.’
Republican attacks intensify
In the days since Harris became the prospective nominee, Republicans have intensified their attacks.
Several Republican congresspeople have called her a “DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] pick” — a coded slur implying she lacks merit and qualification.
Adding fuel to the fire, a 2021 clip has resurfaced of GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance questioning Harris’ leadership skills because she does not have biological children, referring to Democrats as a “bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable with their lives.”
While Harris is popular among progressive young voters on social media, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism revealed that hateful and violent speech targeting her on conservative platforms increased dramatically in the 48 hours after Biden’ endorsed her as the nominee.
Those comments rose by 33% on Trump’s Truth Social, 292% on Gab, 50% on Telegram and 525% on 4 Channel.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has instructed the GOP to refrain from sexist and racist attacks against Harris and instead critique her policy record.
Yet the Party’s own Presidential Nominee has continued to attack Harris, labelling her ‘dumb’ and ‘crazy;’ perpetuating a misogynist stereotype that Black women are irrational and less intelligent and suggesting she is unfit for leadership.
The 2024 US Presidential Election will certainly be a tale of two Americas — one defined by hatred and the past, while the other looks toward a more inclusive future.
Though embraced by youth culture, Harris will need nerves of steel to get through the upcoming campaign in one piece.
Sadly, this is what women — especially those with multiple marginalised identities — are forced to contend with for daring to enter the (masculinised) political realm.
Dr Blair Williams is a Lecturer in Australian Politics at Monash University, Melbourne. Her research focuses on gendered media coverage of women in politics. The above article, which first appeared on the website of 360info, has been reproduced under their Creative Commons.
