Mom-in-Chief: Jill Biden, Melania Trump and the Rhetoric of Motherhood in First Lady Campaigning
Since the 1950’s and the emergence of the post-war suburban housewife demographic embodied by Mamie Eisenhower and Pat Nixon, first ladies have been identified as a national matriarchal figurehead, often reinforcing stereotypical gender roles. Despite the notion of the traditional housewife now being largely outdated, the 2020 election has been dubbed ‘the story of suburban women,’ and the rhetoric of motherhood and family values has become perhaps the most important aspect of how first lady candidates have related to the American voter.[i] However, the choice facing the electorate could hardly be more different in 2020: Whilst ex-model Melania Trump attained fame for her ‘Sex at 30,000ft’ centrefold for GQ magazine, Jill Biden has devoted her professional career to education as an associate professor at NOVA and has a track record of public service as Second Lady under the Obama administration. Given the defection of suburban women voters from the Republicans […]