I’ve loved studying body image for the past 20 years. And, I’ve loved watching presidential politics unfold for as long as I can remember. But I never thought these two loves would meet.
Enter Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton into the election of 2016.
Here’s my analysis of four incidents of “body talk” during this election cycle:
1. Trump questions Clinton’s presidential ‘look.’
The Moment: Body talk first seemed to enter the conversation when Trump asserted that Clinton doesn’t look “presidential.”
The Analysis: Although some research suggests that taller candidates may be advantaged in any political contest and that taller people tend to enjoy social and professional perks like making more money, there is little data to suggest that a candidate’s particular “look” actually affects his or her ability to do the job.
[See: How Height Affects Health.]
In this case, then, Trump’s assertion seems to be more a dig at Clinton’s gender — though not a particularly effective one. Even if women are expected to take on a certain look (think pant suits, classic jewelry and short hair), Clinton seems to be following examples set by Angela Merkel and Theresa May, both arguably successful political leaders in Europe. More importantly, though, this dialogue about the physical distracts from a candidate’s personal qualities, experiences and belief systems that are more likely to be predictive of his or her presidential capabilities.
2. Trump name-calls — and Clinton’s response falls short.
The Moment: During the first presidential debate, Clinton mentioned Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Trump had disparaged repeatedly for gaining weight after being crowned. She’s indicated that his reference to her as “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping,” among other derogatory names, led to her development of disordered eating for many years. When asked about Trump’s behavior, Clinton suggested that, since most women will never become Miss Universe, we should be happy with ourselves just as we are.
The Analysis: Dozens of body image studies indicate that physical appearance teasing has real consequences, especially when the person making negative comments is a parent or influential person. Machado’s experience is a case in point.
Although Clinton made a decent attempt to offer her female constituents assurance that beauty pageants need not be in all of our futures, I wished she had said more on this point. As one of my thoughtful colleagues, Rutgers University assistant professor Jamie Dunaev, suggested, Clinton could have done more by denouncing Trump’s comments outright and insisting that girls and women be valued for what they can think and do. Research indicates that girls as young as 3 to 5 years old begin to express dissatisfaction with their bodies and that by adolescence, their dissatisfaction is referred to as a “normative discontent.” So, what we need right now is not just positive body talk, but talk that has nothing to do with the female body and instead focuses on the female brain.
[See: What to Say and Do If Your Daughter Thinks She’s Fat.]
3. Clinton releases ‘Mirrors’ ad.
The Moment: In response to a variety of comments that Trump has made across the election season about women’s appearances — referring to women as fat, ugly, pigs, slobs, flat-chested and worse — Clinton released an ad called “Mirrors” featuring girls staring at themselves critically in the mirror while Trump’s voice is heard disparaging women’s appearances. If you couldn’t hear the commentary, you’d guess that this was a public service announcement for eating disorders. It’s a poignant advertisement and one my own 9-year-old daughter claims to like best out of those she’s seen for the presidential candidates.
The Analysis: This ad campaign is a powerful reminder of all that’s at stake in this election — down to our daughters’ self-esteem. However, I worry that this ad unintentionally reminds girls and women that some people do value them for their appearance. And sadly, many buy into it: Research suggests that adolescent girls believe that improving their bodies’ appearance would make them happier and healthier. Young girls and women should be empowered to think about their bodies in a less appearance-focused, and more inspiring, way.
4. The lewd ‘Access Hollywood’ tape is released — and accusations follow.
The Moment: Perhaps the most disturbing example of body talk of late is the lewd tape of “The Donald” talking with then-“Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush about his love of beautiful women and what he likes to do to them. Following the tape’s release, a number of women came forward to assert that Trump had harassed them in some way. Trump has since asserted that only attractive women are subject to sexual harassment; in other words, the women he’s allegedly harassed are not even good-looking enough to warrant his (unwanted) advances.
The Analysis: This series of incidents serves as a reminder that when powerful men objectify women, they are often excused for inappropriate behavior. None of these women came forward until their alleged harasser bragged about his behavior and being able to “get away with it.” Trump may be suffering in the polls, but his behavior has not kept him from running for president.
Of course, there is no evidence that physical appearance is linked with assault risk. Women of all shapes, sizes, ages and looks are victims of sexual assault. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center indicates that 1 in 5 women experience sexual assault — a ratio that’s likely an underestimate given that these are crimes that often go unreported.
[See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.]
Perhaps the most powerful rejoinder to all of this came from current first lady, Michelle Obama, who said that women’s intellects and ambitions should be respected, that girls and women can be anything they choose to be and that too many women have worked too hard for too long to allow this sort of discourse to continue. Amen! All of this political body talk is not superficial, Obama continued; it has been hurtful to many. It’s time to revise the script.
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A Health Psychologist Analyzes Trump and Clinton’s Body Image Discourse originally appeared on usnews.com
