Gender Roles, Motherhood, and Politics: Conservative Women’s Organizations Frame Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann

Abstract

ABSTRACTGiven the conflict between conservative views about gender roles and motherhood with economic and political realities, this article analyzes how conservative women’s organizations framed Sarah Palin’s and Michele Bachmann’s bids for national office. How did these advocates negotiate ideological beliefs about gender roles and motherhood with their interest in electing Republicans and promoting women in politics? Findings reveal that through frame transformation activists navigate through seemingly incompatible values. Far from shying away from discussing conservative women’s roles as mothers, conservative women’s groups highlight Palin and Bachmann’s maternal statuses and argue that their willingness to showcase their families make them different, and more appealing kinds of leaders. In so doing, they also challenge feminist conceptualizations of women’s interests and exemplify the importance of having conservative women participate in politics.