TRUMPING GENDER: EXPLORING IMPLICIT GENDER ROLES IN CAMPAIGN ADVERTISEMENTS

From the June morning that Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States outside of Trump Tower in New York City, it became clear that Americans across the nation were about to witness an unprecedented election cycle. Previously, in April, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton announced her second bid for the White House, confirming what years of speculation had previously suggested. At the end of the primary race, these two candidates had emerged as the two major party nominees, and regardless of the outcome, there was no denying that the United States was about to undergo serious and consequential changes. While many instances throughout 2016 presidential election cycle left people across the nation scratching their heads, nowhere was the eccentricity of the election more pronounced than in the gendered aspects of the campaigns. The tactics elucidated throughout this project potentially reveal a subtle or nuanced approach to gendered campaign strategies. I will show that throughout the duration of the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump –the Republican candidate—and Hillary Clinton –the Democratic candidate—both navigated rather complex campaign strategies that were largely centered on their gender. More specifically, I will suggest that Hillary Clinton’s uniquely heavy emphasis on feminine issues throughout the general campaign can be viewed a response to the predominantly masculine campaign rhetoric that came from her opponent as he seized the Republican nomination. In other words, Hillary Clinton’s feminine campaign strategy was likely a strategic counter-move to combat Donald Trump’s unparalleled style of campaigning