Candidacy and Gender Identity: The Development of Political Ambition

• In Event: Beyond the Traditional in Patterns of Political Participation

Abstract

The election of openly LGBTQ+ people to political office is a relatively new global phenomenon. Since the 1980s, an increasing number of LGBTQ+ people are running for, and winning, elected office across Western democracies. Transgender and gender diverse candidates represent a unique intersection of sex, gender, and sexuality, such that societal beliefs about gender roles and sexuality can greatly impact their political activities. Although a growing body of work has examined voter perceptions of transgender and gender diverse candidates, we know little about what motivates such candidates to run for political office. Under what conditions do transgender and gender diverse people become political candidates? Scholarship on political ambition identifies several factors driving political candidacy, including gender, family dynamics, professional experiences, and political recruitment strategies. Understanding the motivations of LGBTQ+ political candidates often entails related but distinct considerations such as voter bias, perceptions of electability, party gatekeeping, and limited representation of LGBTQ+ identities. In this paper, I synthesize research on gender and politics, LGBTQ+ politics, and political ambition to develop a new understanding of why transgender and gender diverse people run for political office. Empirically, I draw upon interviews with political candidates from subnational and national elections across Canada and the United States.

Author

• Nicole McMahon, University of Calgary