Bias in Perceptions of Political Gender Leadership in Latin America

Abstract

Political equality is fundamental for democracy. Yet, globally, women are not equally represented in political offices. Gender bias against women politicians has been identified as one of the main sources of political exclusion. Yet, there still much we do not know about how prejudices towards women in politics vary depending on the context or how biases might change over time. This dissertation draws on Latin American cases to challenge conventional theoretical frameworks and explore nuances in gender biases. It is composed of three research papers that consider different expressions of gender bias, how women’s presence in politics might transform sexist beliefs, and the consequences of a biased electorate for women looking to participate in formal politics.