Journalistic gender stereotyping of first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton

Abstract

This study investigates media stereotyping of American First Ladies Laura Welch Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton principally using quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The research explores the amount and qualities of Time magazine’s news coverage during their husband’s first terms of office to establish, (i) who between Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Bush is framed as most often politically active and (ii) who between them is more negatively stereotyped. Hypotheses predict that the most politically active First Lady will attract more media coverage and more negative stereotypes. Both hypotheses were supported by the research, which indicate that Hillary Clinton was framed both as the most politically active and negatively stereotyped of the two.