If American voters elect Kamala Harris – a black American woman – as president, it would be historic on many levels. This is now a real possibility due to voter stereotypes that have evolved positively towards female politicians.

Stereotypes have for a long time hampered female candidatescasting them as emotional, weak and sensitive. But our political science research shows that US voters increasingly see female leaders as synonymous with political leadership – and as more effective than male politicians.

This transformation reflects a broader shift in what voters expect from political leaders. They are now more likely to see a female candidate as a better “fit” for public office. That could help pave the way for Harris to break the highest glass ceiling in American politics.

Among the many barriers to a woman who becomes president in the USA it’s voters’ gender stereotypes—the assumptions and expectations people have about men and women. They are traditionally an obstacle for women leaders, including in politics. Men are generally assumed to have masculine traits, such as being ambitious and competitive, while women are assumed to possess feminine traits, such as warmth and compassion. In applying gender stereotypes to politicians, voters end up with very different expectations of male and female candidates.

This features a classic double bind for women leaders which extends to politics. If they act like leaders and act dominant and assertive, they violate expectations of femininity. But if they behave in a stereotypical way, they are not seen as strong leaders.

A changing public perception

It has long been the case that stereotypes of male politicians, but not female politicians, aligned with leadership qualities that voters want in political leaders. These traits include competence, strong leadership, empathy and integrity. A 2011 study showed that the stereotypes of female politicians were not clear — people didn’t have clear expectations. Voters also did not see female politicians as consistent with the same four leadership qualities that voters look for.

But through 2021, prominent political leaders like Hillary Clinton, Nikki Haley, and Nancy Pelosi have reshaped the landscape of women seeking office by shaping and reinforcing public expectations.

More women have assumed political leadership roles in the US in the past decade than in previous decades. The the number of women in Congress it increased from 90 to 145 between the 111th Congress, which met from 2009 to 2011, to the 117th Congress, which met from 2021 to 2023.

In addition, high-profile politicians such as Democrats Pelosi and Clinton, as well as Liz Cheney, a Republican, received considerable attention from the media and the electorate. Gender stereotypes about female politicians evolved from ambiguous to becoming both well-defined and positive as voters became familiar with them. This has created a political landscape for Harris today that is markedly different from the early 2010s.

We are political scientists whose research examines how gender stereotypes affects the political underrepresentation of women. In 2021, we conducted a study on how voters gender stereotype politicians evolved in the previous decade. These are the three main lessons:

Opinions about women are increasingly positive

A decade ago, people disagreed with the traits that defined female politicians. While some people described them as tough, others found them to be weak. Similarly, some reported them as rational, while others saw them as unable to separate feelings from ideas. There were no traits that large groups of people agreed upon to describe female politicians.

But our study shows that voters now hold clear and positive stereotypes among them.

When asked about the traits they associate with female politicians, respondents listed positive traits such as intelligent, rational, analytical, ambitious and moral. At the same time, female politicians are least associated with negative traits such as being weak and spineless.

Men’s views are increasingly negative

Male politicians were previously seen as confident, well-educated, charismatic and motivated. But there is bad news for men in politics: this perception has changed. Our study revealed that stereotypes of male politicians became much more negative throughout the decade I studied.

Today, male politicians are more commonly seen as power-hungry, selfish, manipulative and self-interested. They are least associated with traits like being likeable or caring about “people like me.” This indicates that voters have become more negative and distrustful of male politicians.

Women are gaining ground on leader perception

In the past, stereotypes of women politicians were incompatible with stereotypes of leadership. But our study shows that this mismatch has narrowed. In fact, between 2011 and 2021, female politicians’ scores increased on all four leadership traits valued by voters: competence, leadership, empathy and integrity.

In contrast, male politicians lost ground in all four leadership traits. Female politicians now outperform male politicians in three of the four leadership traits: competence, empathy and integrity. Male politicians’ expectations of the fourth trait, strong leadership, are now equal to those of female politicians.

The benefit to Harris

Gender stereotypes have long hindered women seeking political office, but more women in prominent leadership positions have fostered a positive shift in stereotypes.

Of course, highly visible female leaders like Pelosi and Clinton evoke both admiration and intense dislike. But seeing many other examples in their wake has familiarized voters with women who hold power in politics. Thus, voters are now more likely to see female candidates like Harris as fit for leadership roles, such as the presidency.

With the growing distrust of politics, and particularly of male politicians, female political leaders – who are viewed as agents of change — may have an opportunity to restore confidence in politics.

Angela L. Bos is dean and professor of the School of Public Service at Boise State University. Daphne Joanna van der Pas is an associate professor of political science at the University of Amsterdam. Loes Aaldering is associate professor of comparative politics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Sun-Times or any of its affiliates.

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This article was originally published on theconversation.com