Women don really do politics different. Rather they have a different approach to resolving issues and might be less forceful and empathetic. For instance:

1. Women spent more time talking about policy concerns like women’s health and family issues

2. Female governors usually devote much more attention to social welfare issues than male governors will normally do, even after controlling for political and situational factors.

3. Women are less likely to vote for war or the death penalty. Women’s representation in legislatures is significantly correlated with the abolition of capital punishment.

4. A higher share of female legislators correlates with less military spending and less use of force in foreign policy.

So, political leadership follows same rules but will say women get things done without causing co commotion.

Thanks Flourish.

The long list of differences you list (that I agree with) would indicate that women DO do politics differently no?

Ronaldo,

Think of a society in which most politicians are women. Would you ask the same question on male performance?

When women are predominant in a professional group, it is very likely that men are warmly welcome and treated as colleagues without gender conflicts. Unless the environment is highly competitive; however, they will fight because want the same thing and not because they are women and men.

On the other hand, when men predominate, women have to prove they deserve the same professional space, therefore, female professionals have to work very hard to be accepted in the group. That is the point! Men tend to be intolerant with women in the world of “machos”, maybe because they are insecure or unpleasant.

I don’t study gender issues; however, I work for twenty-five years as a police officer in São Paulo, Brazil. So, I told you about my own experience.

I think women understand politics the same way men do and follow same rules but the method they use to achieve result is driven by passion and empathy. A male politician might have plans to address health and family issues but a female politician will want to see the plan executed immediately. That's just my opinion. You can still say "they do politics differently"

Tania I was not at all questioning performance here. Your points I agree with totally.

we are all getting at they way genders do work differently

and I am not getting into masculinity here and the problems it creates for some men

para otro día!

I think that women do politics as men.

I live in Scandinavia, being exposed to many female politicians. There are no signs here to indicate that women do politics any other way than men. This is good, as it underlines the similarities between the genders also in this area. On the other hand, for the public, it is not so good. Some might have had the illusion that female politicians would save the world for aggressive men. No reason to hope for such. :)

In my opinion women make politics just like men. Perhaps the differences lie in form but not in substance, as political decisions in a democracy are not choices of individual persons.

Kjetil that is a sombre Scandinavian appraisal OK as other the other responses that there are no significant gender differences.

My own research experience is that women in Northern Ireland (peace women etc) and Argentina (mothers of Plaza de Mayo) is that sometimes women do practice politics is more humane (human rights based) and less confrontational, what I meant by zero-sum way.

Are there other such examples?

Is this relevant to our question?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/15/the-anti-trump-new-zealand-pm-jacinda-ardern-vogue

Majority of the elected women representatives( in India in general and Punjab in particular) at grassroots level institutions i.e. village Panchayat , Block Samilti and Zila Parishad are just de-jure representatives of the electorates . The powers and role assigned to them by the constitution is used by the male members of the family particularly the husbands in case married women or sons in case widows etc. The situation is not different in case of Urban bodies.The most unfortunate aspect of this unconstitutional process is that the legitimized institutions at the grass root level i.e. police,revenue department and other public institutions have accepted this process without and hesitation. the real story of social reality and joke to women empowerment and political equality....

ok so like in Latin America we have wives or widows of powerful male politicians becoming President?

Good morning all, the first example that comes to my mind is Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, her way of handling the crisis caused by the attacks in Christchurch, was remarkable. She showed empathy and strength at the same time. Her response united the country and enhanced solidarity instead of inflaming polarization.

The second one comes from my country Lebanon, where women from Christian and Muslim cities marched together, sending a clear message that we refuse the civil war in the face of all hostile actions taken by some political parties led by men.

Given my modest experience, I believe that women who pay the bill of wars or conflicts, understand well the impact and repercussions, and embrace peace and security more than men.

It depends more on the expertise than the gender, despite the importance of the social environment. Some study cases proved that in Africa it was more profitable to invest a dollar in the women than in the men because they were able to use it in the right way. In the western world, due to the progress of knowledge and the recognition that gender must not be determinant in the role that one plays, it does not make sense to go on thinking like some centuries ago.

Its mostly depends on environment how she percieve knowledge and her studies. I already researched that women language different from men like women use little bit abusive language but other than men are mostly use abusive language. Also women are different from men their living style sitting style and thinking is very different from men. Thinking is very important for politics and women do little bit different politics as comparison to men

As a historian and feminist working in research on "gender and intersectionality" I have followed the political trajectories of Latin American women. During the military dictatorships (60-80s), as university students and activists they broke with the current rules of behavior, especially women considered "family". Facing a double struggle, sometimes against state terrorism and now against bourgeois female conditions. It was only in the 1970s that feminist movements in Latin America took action. Today, the struggle for greater political representation is an arduous task due to the remains of a patriarchal, sexist and misogynist power structure.

It all depends upon socio-economic profile of the political actors along with their political empowerment process.

In regards to politics I’ll be speaking about diplomacy as well, so from what I’ve seen, I genuinely believe women have a higher EQ making them use certain aspects of soft power that will make other empathize, understand and want to help, this must be supported by an aspect of knowledge and negotiation to provide credibility. This is a definite booster on the international stage.

May not be true because in India, in most places women get chance because of their family political affiliations with parties.

it is also true that these women elected representatives always face hurdles by the dominant class of the society.

Why do men try to understand women and not live women? Are women complicated to survive with? Based on a particular trend observed in majority of women, why do they generalize women? As a result they treat women in a certain manner which leads to the concept- all men are same.

Yes, women often do politics differently — they tend to be more collaborative, focus on social issues like health and education, and are more likely to work across party lines. But it also depends on individual background, context, and political system.