Déjà Vu! On the Campaign Trail – It’s Groundhog Day All Over Again!

It’s not surprising to hear Presidential candidate Donald Trump mock and deride his opponent, calling Kamala Harris stupid and mentally impaired, the worst thing that could happen to our country, a “sh*t” vice president, and accusing her of lying about working at McDonalds. Trump is escalating his attacks on his opponent as election day nears, but this low level of rhetoric is nothing new. Let’s take a walk down memory lane.

In 2015, Donald Trump raised eyebrows when he ridiculed opponent Carly Fiorina’s face in an interview with Rolling Stone. “Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?” he was quoted as saying. Trump later massaged the situation by maintaining he had not criticized her appearance but had been referring to her “persona.” He later contradicted himself publicly in the CNN Republican Debate when the two rivals faced off in a highly anticipated moment, saying sarcastically “I think she’s got a beautiful face, and I think she’s a beautiful woman.”

At the time, Carly Fiorina responded coolly: “It’s still different for women,” (and) “It’s only a woman whose appearance would be talked about while running for president — never a man. And that’s what women understand.” Later she speculated on what might have prompted the personal attacks: “Maybe, just maybe, I’m getting under his skin a little bit because I am climbing in the polls.”

In 2024, we see Presidential candidate Kamala Harris pushing back, saying that through his vulgarity, insults, lies, and disrespect, he is “unfit for the Presidency, demeaning the office.” And Harris is clearly getting under Trump’s skin because his attacks are happening more often, each one becoming more insulting and more vulgar.

The Media Sets a High Bar

The public is more critical of women advancing into leadership roles and women know it, making public speaking a more difficult role for women than for men. Results of a research study showed two thirds of 2,000 women felt tremendous pressure to look good, citing a rise in ‘perfect-looking’ women based on standards they see portrayed in the media. Unfortunately, women are judged more on their looks than men are. In fact, women are taught that their looks matter more than their intellect or accomplishments, starting at a very young age. When women seek to advance into leadership roles, it is no surprise that they feel anxiety and more pressure than men to look good. Is that because women intuitively know that audiences, investors, donors and/or business competitors will be tough critics?

Even with all the advances in business and public life, women are still far more self-consciousness about their bodies than men, whether at work, on holidays, at parties or at home, and especially at public gatherings. Women are specifically concerned about their weight, teeth, cellulite, bags under the eyes, being buxom and (given the popularity of sleeveless dresses) a fear of having flabby arms or ‘bingo wings.’ Getting dressed, made-up, and ready for a high-stakes presentation adds additional pressure on women before facing an audience.

Double Standard, Double Bind

The headline for the Harris/Trump debate stated that they would “face off,” an interesting choice of words. Writer and cultural critic Susan Sontag wrote about the existence of a double standard in appearance stemming from the fact that women’s faces are valorized for only one thing: girlish beauty. Men’s faces, on the other hand, are described as interesting, weird, wizened, humorous, having a strong jawline, and more. By contrast, look at Donald Trump’s hairstyle, which is almost a caricature of the norm. Nobody would say he shouldn’t run for the top job because of his comb-over or his orange makeup.

People make snap judgments about any person’s value in 30 seconds or less based on their perceived age, social standing and how approachable they are. Princeton research informs us that first impressions can be formed in less than a tenth of a second, which is when we determine likeability and competence.

The research about how quickly people make judgements has tremendous implications for women today; that is, women have to navigate the likability issue in order to convince audiences that they are intelligent enough to make the tough and complex decisions required of leaders. Pitching a big idea requires that women convey their competence while men are assumed to be competent, until, of course, their delivery is poor. Men don’t need to worry about being seen as direct, bold, bragging or self-aggrandizing, but women do. Men can be flip, sarcastic, and adopt a conspiratorial off-the-record tone. In addition to worry about their appearance, women have to watch their tone of voice to avoid derogatory terms used to describe their speech patterns including the use of an upward inflection, a girlish high pitch, or growly “vocal fry.”

Face the Facts: Be Prepared for Mean Spirited Remarks

Women candidates have to walk a fine line between being seen as too smart or too pretty (or both). This double standard prevails when a woman stands up to speak up. If you are a woman who seeks a top position, be prepared for comments – if not criticisms – regarding your appearance, your weight, your competence, your likability, your voice, and your age.

Here’s a thought: The more women we have competing with other women or competing with men for that matter, the more difficult stereotypes are to maintain because it is harder to make snap judgements about all women being the same. Carly Fiorina and Kamala Harris are two positive role models for women in showing impressive strength while receiving vicious personal attacks (and there will likely be more to come).

As we’ve been told, always “Hope for the best but expect the worst.” That way personal criticisms won’t throw you off balance and compliments will be frosting on the cake. No matter what, stay on message. That’s where you’ll convince decision-makers and voters that whatever comes your way, you can face it!

Author’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2015 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.