Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night was a terrifying mix of xenophobia, racism and sexism that showcased our country’s worst tendencies in the heart of its largest media market. Misogyny was clearly visible. A keynote speaker he joked It’s about Taylor Swift being murdered by her boyfriend. another one compared Kamala Harris is a prostitute with “pimp tamers.” And, in an insult rooted in a few boring tropes, Tucker Carlson in the name The vice president has a “low IQ.”

The rally is the latest test of the American political media’s ability to cover an election that includes not only a female candidate but also voters. a large (and growing) gender gapWomen overwhelmingly support Harris and men, especially those under 30, support Trump. A few months ago, while Harris was still working the phones to drum up Democratic support for her bid for the White House, I argued: Journalists must fight head-on The role sexism and racism will play in his campaign.

The press mostly did, as did Harris. belittled his identities. Some examples: Washington Post recently described crude anti-Harris t-shirts For sale at Trump events. Associated Press investigated The role of hypermasculinity in the GOP. The New York Times devoted an entire episode of its flagship podcast, The Daily, to: “gender selection” and Sunday’s rally “carnival of grievances, misogyny and racism.” Although Trump did eventually talk politics at Madison Square Garden, most news outlets reported similarly (and wisely): insults and insults It spread throughout the evening.

While these vitriolic headlines are tiring to read, they reflect a welcome departure from the sexist media coverage that plagued past election cycles, when politicians were assumed to be white and male, just like voters and political journalists. As a result, female candidates have long been objectifiedare treated or denigrated by the media as innovations rather than legitimate competitors. Meanwhile, female voters have historically been portrayed as a special interest audience. concerns These only make it to the front pages during election years. Because men’s experiences were the default, everything else was ignored, downplayed, or discussed only in vague terms.

This time things are different for some reasons. increase The increasing number of female politicians and female journalists certainly helped, and the aftershocks of Hillary Clinton’s loss to Trump in 2016 set off a widespread (and as yet incomplete) reckoning with misogyny. Another important factor is the resurgence of the #MeToo movement in 2017. New York Times And New Yorker On sexual misconduct allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. These stories raised awareness, unleashed a tidal wave of accountability, and ultimately resulted in criminal consequences for many powerful men who preyed on women.

The move prompted many US newsrooms to “sex beats” to address reproductive justice, sexual violence, caregiving, sexism in the workplace, and other issues that have historically been considered beyond the boundaries of serious news. as I learned when I learned studied In the wake of this phenomenon in 2020, journalists working at this pace have injected a new type of expertise into newsrooms and shifted reporting judgments that appear to be affecting political journalism this election cycle.

Women across the political spectrum are heavily involved as candidates, power brokers, and voters. journalists talking about men as a separate voting bloc and by investigating the roots of their discontent. The queer community is given more nuanced, albeit flawed, attention. Abortion is framed not as a shameful secret but as a public health issue and an often complex personal choice. As a result, the political press of 2024 is closer than ever to depicting women’s experiences as American experiences that resonate among voters and in the halls of power.

There is poetic justice in the #MeToo movement, which has prepared news organizations to better cover the presidential election that pitted a powerful woman against a man repeatedly accused of sexual harassment. And yet this election cycle also makes clear the backlash that often follows efforts to correct injustice.

The rally in the garden was a high-profile example. There are other signs too. The right’s sexist rhetoric continues to intensify not only at campaign events but also in political advertisements. One from Elon Musk’s PAC He calls Harris the “c-word.” (The ad eventually clarifies that it’s talking about communism, but it also includes multiple references to that other term.) Young men who are justifiably frustrated with their prospects are offered a lifeline by Trump that requires them to be embraced, or at least tolerant, laced with masculinity. rude aggression. If the polls are accurate, we are far from flipping a coin to elect an administration that will further restrict reproductive choices, promote dangerous anti-trans rhetoric and policy, and act as if men’s well-being comes at the expense of the opportunities of others.

The race seems too close to make any predictions about what will happen come Election Day, and this year has been very strange. But the gender fault lines that divide us are clearly drawn because the news media has done a good job of highlighting them. We’re not just choosing the next president, we’re also marking how our society will empower or oppress different genders in the years to come. Only time will tell which force will win: showdown or reaction?

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