Polite Political Punditry May Be Quietly Silencing Women on TV
Originally published by Aaron Kupec for University of Massachusetts Amherst
Civility isn’t gender equality’s friend in televised political discussions, where women typically speak less and are shown less respect than men, according to a new study of gendered conversational norms co-authored by a University of Massachusetts Amherst researcher.
The research, published in The Journal of Politics, shows that debate-style programs broadcast on major U.S. networks—where pundits clash over issues in often adversarial exchanges—paradoxically create the best conditions for women to speak up. On male-dominated panels, women are often treated as intruders in a “boys’ club.” They’re interrupted more and speak less. But when women make up a larger share of these panels—especially in combative settings—they talk more and get interrupted less.
“Our study shows that even ‘professional talkers’ with strong incentives to maximize their airtime experience gendered conversational norms,” says Kelsey Shoub, assistant professor of public policy at UMass Amherst.