(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/12/2024) Thirty-eight percent of Americans who are not voting for Harris cite her gender as playing a role in their decision, according to a recent survey. The data also reported that 1 in 6 of respondents do not think that a woman is capable of the role of President.   

The most common responses as to why they do not think that a woman can handle the role of President cites women don't have the ability to "be taken seriously," and that they are "too emotional" (48%).   

The women who said they didn't think a woman could be President were more likely to say that women aren't viewed seriously, while male respondents were more likely to claim that women are too emotional for the job.   

The other top reported concerns: discrimination and bias against women (35%), a lack of assertion (29%) and that being President would prove to be too stressful for a woman (28%).   

Four in 10 reported that they view men as more effective leaders than women. The survey reported that men are more likely to be viewed as experienced (34% vs. 5%), better at handling conflicts (32% vs. 21%), confident (36% vs. 13%), objective (28% vs. 16%), professional (23% vs. 15%) and more likely to be taken seriously. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to be viewed as better communicators (30% vs. 21%), supportive (43% vs. 12%) and approachable (36% vs. 20%).   

Resume Template's Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre said that public opinion towards a woman in office is reflective of the larger issue of sexism in the workplace.   

"While we've come a long way, sexism is still an issue, and it impacts women climbing the corporate ladder to get to high-level roles. As generational priorities shift, I believe we'll continue to see women enter and make an impact in leadership positions,” Toothacre said.