Election posters reflect challenges and opportunities for women in politics

Articles analysed: “From the margins to the CentreÀ, “No big man on poster, no voteÀ

Publication: City Press

Date: 17 April 2011

Country: South Africa

Theme: Politics

Skills: Perspectives

Genre: News analysis

GEM classification: Gender aware

The articles may be used to:

• Highlight perceptions of female political leaders in the media and in society.
• Demonstrate the role of the media in shaping perceptions and attitudes towards women in politics.

Description
One of the hot topics during the run-up to South Africa’s local government elections was the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) iconic poster. Unlike other election posters, the DA had three women’s faces gazing at the masses: namely the party’s Western Cape mayoral candidate, Patricia de Lille, the party’s spokesperson and shadow minister for Rural Development and Land Reform, Lindiwe Mazibuko who both flanked the DA’s leader, Helen Zille. This case study examines two articles published in City Press that analyse the poster. The case study reflects on both the news articles and the posters themselves. It open up a necessary debate on the relationship between gender and politics. Although the clippings analysed are largely positive, the language used undermines the otherwise gender-sensitive nature of the articles.

Story angle and perspective
The discussion in both articles is about the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) election poster that features three women: the party’s Western Cape mayoral candidate, Patricia de Lille, the party’s spokesperson and shadow minister for Rural Development and Land Reform, Lindiwe Mazibuko who are both flanking the party’s president, Helen Zille.   The article opens up debate into the relationship between gender and politics in South Africa (and perhaps elsewhere in the world). Perceptions around women in politics are brought to the fore.

Two issues are brought up by the articles in relation to having women as the face of the party: on the one hand, the articles seem to suggest that having women as the face of the party in a society as patriarchal as South Africa, which still relegate women to domestic roles is not a wise move on the part of the DA. These sexist views are sadly, a large extent a true reflection of the South African psyche. As the articles point out, women in South Africa still do not have complete confidence in other women’s capabilities as leaders.

On the other hand, the articles also highlight the fact that this move might get more women to vote. For any party to use women as the face of its political campaign shows great positive strides made by women in politicians. This move highlights that women have over the years proven themselves to be as capable as their male counterparts. The poster goes a long way in challenging stereotypes that women cannot lead. It is also an endorsement of the work that women have made towards gender parity.

Great care must be taken when analysing the poster, the use of the three women from three racial groups (which gives an illusion of South Africa as a true reflection of the rainbow nation) and the portrayal of different generations might be a calculated move by the DA. The aim to win votes from the different groups that these politicians appeal to may lead one to argue that women in politics are still largely used to fulfil a male agenda.

Headlines and language
Although the articles are to a large extent positive, some of the language does take away from the value of the story and even the three politicians. The women are hardly referred to as politicians. The fact that the use of the poster as a political party is likened to “Charlie’s AngelsÀ also takes away from the political achievements these women have made.  

The headline “From the margins to the centreÀ is, however, encouraging. It highlights the fact that the days of female politicians being on the sidelines are over. The headline suggests that women are now in the hub of politics and are now a force to be reckoned with.

The headline “No big man, no poster, no voteÀ cements the widely held view that men are the face of politics. This can either be seen as reflecting a reality of patriarchal societies or perpetuating a subtle stereotype.

Sources
The articles are opinion pieces therefore are largely the opinion of the writers. More depth could have been added to the articles if the writers had shown other citizens’ perspectives by accessing their voices. This would have added value to the articles.

Training exercises

• What messages are portrayed about politics? How is this reinforced in the story?
• In groups, discuss the portrayal of women in the reporting of the South African 2011 local government elections.
• What is the role of the media in reporting during elections?

Other training resources

Publication: Ringing up the Changes: gender in Southern African politics by Colleen Lowe Morna.

Publication: Women in News: strengthening the voice and visibility of women in the African media’s coverage of elections, politcs and governance written by Pat Made.

Research: Gender in the 2011 South African Local Government Elections by Gender Links.

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