Eye of the Beholder: Partisanship, Identity, & the Politics of Sexual Harassment

• In Event: #MeToo and Responses to Sexual Harassment

Abstract

Two current members of the U.S. Supreme Court took their seats despite allegations of sexual harassment (Clarence Thomas) and sexual assault (Brett Kavanaugh) that were leveled against them during their confirmation hearings. In each instance, but especially with Kavanaugh, the Senate vote was close and split mainly along party lines: Republicans for and Democrats against. Recent polls have shown that a similar division exists among party supporters in the electorate. There are, however, certain differences among rank-and-file partisans that may help to shape their views on the issues raised by these two highly charged and controversial appointments to the nation's highest court.

Using data from a 2018 internet survey based on a national sample of roughly 1500 registered voters, we will examine the factors associated with citizens' attitudes about the role of women in politics, the extent to which sexism is a problem in society, the recent avalanche of sexual harassment charges that have been made against elected officials and other political (as well as entertainment, business, and academic) figures, and the #MeToo movement. We are particularly interested in seeing whether a strong sense of partisan and/or ideological identity (as distinct from simple identification), authoritarian attitudes, trust/mistrust of the media, a belief in conspiracy theories, or respondent gender add significantly to our understanding of people's attitudes on these matters. In addition, experimental evidence from our survey will allow us to determine whether shared partisanship overrides other factors when an elected official from one's own party is accused of sexual misbehavior.

Authors

• Paulina S. Cossette, Washington College

• Stephen C. Craig, University of Florida