It annoys me to no end that we come up with cutesy nicknames and terms of endearment for candidates who are men, or we refer to them by their first names as if they’re our best buds, but women candidates are almost always referred to by their last name or full name.
Every time I hear “Uncle Joe” or “Mayor Pete” or yes, even “Birdie,” it makes me want to puke.
I’m not even saying we should be doing that for women. But the bias and sexism is inherent and obvious in this behavior.
Especially “Mayor Pete.”
People are acknowledging that he’s the mayor (the mayor!) of a midsize city in Indiana whenever they use that nickname and they still think it’s appropriate that he’s running for President.
Like, these people aren’t our friends. We are putting them though a job interview. They’re supposed to work for us, FFS.
—emily duchaine
Flommist Emily Duchaine lives in the Pacific Northwest. She likes to drink mead, learn about sharks, and listen to the Talking Heads. She pretends to be a professional businesswoman most days. Copyright © 2019 Emily Duchaine.
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