Ronald Reagan in heels: constructing the Mama Grizzly political persona in the 2010 US elections

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the ways in which ‘Mama Grizzlies’ – female Tea Party politicians – in the US strategically made use of socially dominant constructions of both masculinity and femininity in their campaigns during the 2010 US mid-term elections. By analysing news media interviews, television debates and campaign advertisements, this study found that these ‘Mama Grizzlies’ are female and contemporary versions of Ronald Reagan, an icon of conservatism in US politics. Hegemonic masculinity proved to be a useful device for Mama Grizzlies to attack their opponents as indecisive. Masculinity, as displayed by Mama Grizzlies, corresponds to a type of ‘female masculinity’ by which these female candidates tried to portray themselves as strong and tough. At the same time, by constructing an empathetic persona and utilizing a feminine style of presentation, these candidates employed a gender strategy of hybrid masculinity: a blending of muscle and compassion. Mama Grizzlies’ gendered rhetoric also contravened some of the basic tenants of feminism, such as gender equality.

KEYWORDS:

• Tea Party
• hegemonic masculinity
• mama grizzlies
• framing
• gender
• campaign

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank Dr. Radhika Parameswaran and the anonymous reviewers for their support, encouragement and comments.