Black Women Political Candidates Are Expected to Be ‘Likable,’ Qualified and Tireless. Men Aren’t.

A local politician shared her experience running for office in 2014. She noted that her experience was similar to a previous campaign for a national political party office role. In that earlier campaign, she faced a popular opponent, a Black man, and found that gender became a factor in the election. The politician had previously received positive feedback for her work as vice president of the organization, but when she decided to run for president, her reputation shifted. She was suddenly seen as difficult to work with and mean. Further details about the politician's experience and the challenges she faced are available from the source, Ms. Magazine.