Presidential Gender Watch 2016 is a nonpartisan project of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation to track, analyze, and illuminate gender dynamics in the 2016 presidential election. Through its website, social media presence, and expert commentary, the project is a timely and valuable new resource for media covering the presidential race, as well as for the general public.

Presidential Gender Watch 2016 draws upon the research and expertise of both partner organizations, as well as other experts, to further public understanding of how gender influences candidate strategy, voter engagement and expectations, media coverage, and electoral outcomes in the race for the nation’s highest executive office. The goal is to lend expert analysis to the dialogue around gender throughout the election season.

Through web, blog and Facebook posts, press conference calls, and web chats or webinars, Presidential Gender Watch 2016 will set the context for understanding how gender figures in the election. Resources will include research summaries and reports, analysis and commentary from political strategists and academics, compilations of polling data, and extensive historical information about women who have sought the presidency or vice presidency.

Presidential Gender Watch 2016 is a nonpartisan project that does not advocate for, endorse, or support any candidates or issue positions. Instead, the project analyzes how all presidential candidates, male and female, navigate gender dynamics in the political context of 2016.

Presidential Gender Watch 2016 is not a project advocating for a woman president in 2016 or any other year. The project provides historical context and understanding of women’s presidential bids and analyzes the distinct realities facing women candidates running for the nation’s highest office. However, gender dynamics do not shape only women’s candidacies; this project aims to illuminate and analyze the ways in which gendered expectations influence the treatment and behavior of men and women who run for president.

The goal of Presidential Gender Watch 2016 is not to be a watchdog for sexism, but to thoughtfully engage in conversation on gendered topics that have and will continue to emerge throughout the 2016 cycle. Sexism – including the presence, claims, or impact of it – will be one of those topics, and a meaningful dialogue around it will recognize variance in how it is defined, measured, and/or applied to or by candidates, voters, or media. We will rely upon scholarship on gender bias to provide a thoughtful framework for analysis, within which there are no universal rules for what is or is not sexist. Moreover, Presidential Gender Watch will present a much broader range of topics for dialogue and discussion throughout the 2016 cycle, investigating how, where, and in what ways gender shapes the experiences, strategies, and evaluations of candidates; the behavior and preferences of and appeals to voters; and the media coverage of the race.

The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) has partnered with the Barbara Lee Family Foundation to launch Presidential Gender Watch 2016. A nonpartisan research institute at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, CAWP brings to the table almost five decades of national recognition as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about American women’s political participation. CAWP’s website has highlighted gender-related concerns in recent presidential election years. The Barbara Lee Family Foundation advances women’s equality and representation in American politics through nonpartisan political research, strategic partnerships, and grant-making. The Foundation has studied every woman’s campaign for governor on both sides of the aisle since 1998, producing pragmatic guides that highlight the obstacles and opportunities facing women in politics – with a particular focus on executive office. For more information about each organization, see our About page.

Presidential Gender Watch 2016 will be weighing in on gender dynamics in the 2016 presidential election through multiple outlets and we encourage you to join us in this conversation. First, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to receive daily news updates from our team and to weigh in with your thoughts. Next, sign up for our newsletters to get the project updates, highlights, and the latest analyses of gender and the presidential race from expert contributors to Presidential Gender Watch 2016. Finally, if you would like to contribute to our blog, please contact us at info@presidentialgenderwatch.org.