RECODING THE BOYS’ CLUB: WOMEN VS. THE POLITICAL TECH CEILING
recodingtheboysclub.com
AUTHORS
Kirsten Jenni Kate Adams Ciesielski Frauenfelder
Emma Brinley Meredith Harrison Lowe Martinez
Haley Gabbrielle Samantha McDougal Micchia Paisley
Sumner Meredith Holly Park Randolph Roberts
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Abbey Jordan Daniel Rogers Townsend Kreiss
3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report would not have been possible energy. And, Ali-Jae has always been a without the generous support of the UNC friendly sounding board for career advice School of Media and Journalism, which for the women involved in this project, for funded a fall 2017 Washington Experience which we are very grateful. class that started us on this adventure of a research project around the We would especially like to thank all of experiences of women working in political the women who sat for interviews for this technology. We are grateful for the project. This has been an amazing support of the UNC Office of process, as we have learned about the Undergraduate Research for funding a struggles, and triumphs, women have had 2018 spring semester undergraduate in carving out a space in political research course, which provided the technology. We are continually inspired by institutional basis and seed funding to your examples, and we thank you for take the research project to new heights. sharing your knowledge and experiences We also thank the Roy H. Park with us, which will prove invaluable for Fellowships for supporting the research the generations coming up behind you. work of M.A. student Holly Roberts and We hope that this report does justice to Ph.D. student Kirsten Adams. We are also your thoughts and words, and that it plays indebted to UNC School of Media and some small part in charting the path Journalism Assistant Professor Adam towards greater equity in the future. Saffer, who led the effort to compile and clean the employment data that served as Finally, our sincere gratitude goes to our the foundation for the analysis presented event sponsors, Facebook, Microsoft, and here. WPAi, who made the public launch of this report possible. We thank these firms, Ali-Jae Henke, Head of Industry, Elections and especially Ginny Badanes (Microsoft), at Google DC, has long been a supporter Katie Harbath (Facebook), and Chris of the UNC School of Media and Wilson (WPAi) who have all demonstrated Journalism and we are continually amazing generosity to our School and its thankful for the generosity she has shown students over the years. with her time and
4 EVENT SPONSORS
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RECODING THE BOYS’ CLUB: WOMEN VS. THE POLITICAL TECH CEILING
6 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forwards — 9 Executive Summary — 12 Introduction — 14 Findings — 17 When Politics Meets Tech: Why Gender Equity is Important — 18 The Challenge of Representation — 23 • Introduction – 24 • Where are the Women in Political Tech? – 24 • Why are Women Underrepresented in Political Tech? – 32 o Time constraints – 32 o Male-dominated political networks – 32 o Gendered interview styles and assumptions – 33 o The mission work of campaigns – 34 o Martyr mentality – 34 o The pay on campaigns – 35 o Campaign hierarchies and bureaucracies – 36 o Importance of women in leadership – 38 o The underrepresentation of women of color on campaigns – 40 o Comparisons with the tech sector – 42
When Women are There, are they Heard?: The Challenge of Inclusivity — 45 • Introduction – 46 o Taking credit on campaigns – 46 o Experience, age, and gender – 48 o Bro culture – 52 o Double standards – 53 o Informal forms of exclusion – 53 o Challenges faced by women in leadership – 54 o Emotional labor – 56 o Habitual disregard for female voices – 57 o Imposter syndrome – 58 o Mentoring relationships – 60 o Network relationships – 62
The Challenge of Accountability – 64 • Introduction – 65 o HR departments’ lack of time and resources – 65 o Fear of retaliation – 66 o Avoiding and ignoring issues – 67
Recommendations – 70 • Introduction – 74 • Women in leadership helping women – 71 • Strong networks of women – 73
7 • Validation and self-confidence – 74 • Deliberate hiring – 77 • Accountability mechanisms – 78
Conclusion – 80
Appendices – 81 • Quantitative methods – 81 o Quantitative data – 81 o Variables and coding procedure – 81 o Reliability – 82 • Qualitative methods – 82
Notes – 85 Resources – 88 Author Bios - 90
8 FORWARD
As you read this report on women in the research project under the leadership of tech industry, you will see well-honed Professor Daniel Kreiss – who had research, a study that reflects compelling challenged them to think about politics, facts and emotions, and the story of social science themes and the ongoing sexism. It’s hard for me to believe intersection of technology and political that even in the 21st century, even in the communication – I was so pleased for new and cutting-edge world of political them and for the school. They would not technology, that the talent and ambitions spout of women have been sidelined. ideas cavalierly about the workplace, they I believe – perhaps naively – it won’t would document it. They wouldn’t happen again. The young women who freelance about how the world produced this study – all undergraduate communicates in the digital age, they and graduate students in the UNC School would research it. They would learn of Media and Journalism – are smart and rigorous methodologies, both quantitative skilled, ambitious and talented. They and qualitative, and uncover the depth of can’t be sidelined. the Boy’s Club in recent political campaigns. If technology thrives in Or could they? diversity, this report is a wakeup call that innovation and technology are in trouble if As the dean of a school steeped in the the Club door isn’t opened wide. tradition of great journalism and significant media scholarship, I am proud Modern tech innovations are changing the knowing that in this century women are a way political campaigns around the world force for our school. Seventy-five percent are run and how the election system of our nearly 1,000 students are women, works. Under Professor Kreiss’ and all are eager to participate in the mentoring, these undergraduates have public square to help shape the world found evidence of discrimination and loss they live in. This generation of young of talent that surely has changed them women expect to be respected and forever. rewarded for their talent, but then so did mine. What could be more exciting for a dean than to support a new generation of This research report reveals that the talented women to learn early on about Boy’s Club still dominates the political trends in the workplace and to tech culture, even after the women’s understand the loss of talent that can revolution in the 20th century. emerge if the world isn’t vigilant about diversity. And to know that they have When these young women of different produced a study that others will want to backgrounds and political beliefs read – what we call research with impact suggested a special undergraduate – is deeply satisfying. I believe that these
9 young women will have a frame of to join forces and to innovate, all with the reference that gives them a platform for goal of making politics, public service and jumpstarting their personal careers – in the body politic a stronger place for all tech, in politics, in the media and in the citizens.” academy. These are young women of substance who are ready to partner with I say: Bravo! women and men in tomorrow’s world of politics to make it more responsive, less Dean Susan King partisan and more interactive. School of Media and Journalism These young women leave the university University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a wider perspective having delivered to us a piece of work that says we can’t go back. No one can afford to lose talent. They are saying: “Guys, we are here to work with you. Make room. We’re ready
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FORWARD
Recent history has encouraged a review ● Access creates opportunity. of opportunities for women in the When political campaigns expand workplace. Few industries have escaped their purview using data, analytics, with exception, as audits are begged digital communication strategies, across Entertainment, Business, Tech, etc., they grow the opportunity and now the realm of Politics. landscape and increase access to leadership roles via new points of In a series of interviews and research entry. studies included in their academic study, the Undergraduate Research Team at ● Scale increases equitable UNC’s School of Media and Journalism representation. shed light on the imbalance of gender When political campaigns diversity across political campaigns. encourage a more equitable gender balance among a newly This research not only uncovers the scaled workforce, campaigns success we sacrifice by resigning to a become more representative of the status-quo model, but further enunciates electorate they intend to represent, technology’s unique ability to introduce a which is just over 50% female. more equitable balance. As political campaigns embrace the immediate Diversity, opportunity, and representation business impact of tech solutions, we are imperative to improvement in political expect to see additional opportunity technology. As campaigns embrace tech delivered to the political industry across adoption and urge an evolution across technology’s most obvious themes: campaign strategy, these benefits are Innovation, Access, and Scale. positioned to enhance the political industry as a whole. In this modern era, ● Innovation demands diversity. campaigns are uniquely positioned to Innovation is the fuel of recode the boys club. improvement. When political campaigns are positioned to Ali-Jae Henke innovate, they rely on new ideas Head of Industry, Elections from a diversity of thought. Google
11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report documents and analyzes the in the dataset were women, but employment patterns and experiences of that number rose to 37% in 2016. women working in political technology on Both sides of the aisle experience a U.S. presidential campaigns. This report is gender gap in the hiring of political based on an analysis of a dataset of 995 tech staffers: 65% of Democratic staffers working in the areas of staffers were males, compared technology, digital media, data, and with 76% of Republican staffers. analytics on primary and general election presidential campaigns during the 2004, ● This gender gap extends to women 2008, 2012, and 2016 election cycles. We in leadership roles on campaigns. refer to these people collectively as For every woman who has served ‘political tech’ staffers. In addition, we in a director-level or higher role, interviewed forty-five women from twelve nearly three men have done so (at different presidential campaigns during 29% and 71%, respectively). the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles. These campaigns were George W. Bush 2004, ● There is also a gender gap when it Jeb Bush 2016, Chris Christie 2016, comes to entrepreneurship. In Hillary Clinton 2008 and 2016, John total, 119 staffers founded 125 Edwards 2004 and 2008, Rudy Giuliani firms and organizations between 2008, John McCain 2008, Barack Obama 2004 and the months after the 2008 and 2012, and Mitt Romney 2012. 2016 cycle. Ninety-four men were listed as founders or principals of We group our findings in this report into these organizations, compared themes relating to the challenges women with only 25 women. in political tech face in terms of representation, inclusiveness, and ● Women point to a number of accountability, and share reasons for disproportionate hiring recommendations to address them from on presidential campaigns in our interview participants. political tech, including time- constrained hiring processes, Key Findings: male-dominated political networks, and gendered ● Overall, there is a clear stereotypes about women’s underrepresentation of women competencies. In addition, the lack working in political tech on of work-life balance on campaigns presidential campaigns — only disproportionately favors younger 32% of political tech staffers from staffers and males, who often lack 2004-2016 were women. This gap care-giving responsibilities. has steadily closed: in 2004 only Meanwhile, women perceived that 19% of campaign staffers campaigns tend to view men as decision-makers and leaders and
12 hire and promote them frequently fail to report these accordingly. incidents. If they consider reporting, they fear potential ● Once they were able to get hired repercussions and retaliation, onto a campaign, women related which can affect their work and the challenges they faced making careers. Men, especially in their voices heard. Women leadership, often get a pass due to described barriers to taking credit their high status, leaving the for their work, and found that their women who reported them age, gender, and experience at vulnerable to backlash. Women times limited their opportunities. also report having to pick up the The “bro culture” often found in slack for men who may be less political tech workplaces at times qualified for their positions than gave rise to inappropriate sexual the women serving under them. comments and behavior on the part of males. Meanwhile, women ● We asked our interviewees felt excluded, both formally and explicitly how campaigns could informally, from parts of campaign achieve more gender-equitable culture and organization. When workspaces and what advice they women achieved leadership roles, have for women entering the field. they encountered differing Women helping women in an expectations than their male intentional way includes women in counterparts, and were called leadership promoting other upon to provide “emotional labor.” women’s voices and helping As a result of campaign culture change campaign culture. Women around political tech, women can validate one another and form related that “imposter syndrome” strong networks to promote their is particularly widespread, and voices and careers. Male allies many women lack confidence in must use their already recognized their abilities, skills, and potential. voices to promote those of women and work to ensure representation ● Women argued that they have few through hiring and promotion. ways of holding people Campaigns can prioritize accountable for inappropriate deliberate hiring aimed at behavior, arbitrary exercises of achieving gender equity and power, and retaliation for reporting diversity and develop new misconduct on campaigns. accountability mechanisms to Campaign human resources create more inclusive departments lack the time, staff, environments. and resources to provide policies, structure, and aid to staff. Women who find themselves in a toxic work environment due to a colleague’s harassment or misconduct – implicit or explicit —
13 INTRODUCTION
Women’s experiences and roles in the We also turned to these women for their workforce are long-standing subjects of recommendations for how the field can public debate. In recent years in particular better achieve equity in political the experiences of women working in technology, as well as the importance of politics and women working in technology doing so. have received significant attention. To date, however, the nexus between these Our quantitative findings revealed that two fields has been left unexplored, even there are significant gender gaps in the as technology has significantly reshaped representation of female staffers and electoral campaigning over the past two leaders in political tech on presidential decades. campaigns, and there have been since 2004. Only 32% of all campaign staffers Recoding the Boy’s Club changes that, from 2004-2016 were women. This gap is offering the first in-depth documentation slowly closing. In 2004 19% of campaign and analysis of women’s experiences in a staffers in the dataset were women, but career path that did not really exist until that number rose to 37% in 2016 (while 2004: political technology. this is progress, the persistence of this gap is striking given there was a female Recoding the Boys Club researches the general election nominee.) Both sides of intersection of two heavily male- the aisle experience a gender gap in the dominated fields. It provides the first hiring of political tech staffers: 65% of systematic study of the hiring patterns Democratic staffers were males, and career experiences of women compared with 76% of Republican working in the domain of political staffers. For every one woman who has technology across four presidential served in a director-level or higher role, election cycles (2004-2016). We define nearly three males have done so (at 29% ‘political technology’ in an expansive way, and 71%, respectively). encompassing the domains of ‘technology,’ ‘digital media,’ ‘data,’ and In interviews, participants brought up a ‘analytics’ on presidential campaigns. We number of overarching themes about analyzed the differential hiring of 995 their experiences working in political tech male and female technology staffers by that relate to representation, inclusivity, party, campaign, and election cycle, and accountability. We decided to report including their representation in our general findings regarding the leadership positions, and, through political tech workplaces that women analysis of career data, their rates of encounter regardless of campaign. This entrepreneurship. To gain a first-hand means we do not make comparisons perspective on the experiences and between campaigns. Instead, we focus on career paths of women in this male- what we can learn from the experiences dominated field, our research team of women regardless of candidate and conducted forty-five in-depth interviews. party, and analyze what general
14 conditions of organization and culture and fear retaliation from the boy’s club produce more equitable work that can make their work difficult and environments. negatively affect their careers.
In terms of representation, we not only In the end, we believe campaigns can document gender gaps in hiring on potentially work and perform better from campaigns, but get women’s perspectives an organizational perspective if there was on why they exist. Since campaigns are gender equity in political tech, from quickly launched and ultimately short- women’s representation within them to lived enterprises that often lack formal the inclusion of their voices in decision- hiring processes, staffing occurs through making. mostly male-dominated political networks. Stereotypes about women’s Gender-balanced campaign teams can competencies and skills shape who is potentially lead to more effective ways of hired into particular positions and communicating with a diverse electorate, promoted within campaigns. Meanwhile, better technology, greater diversity of the lack of work-life balance limits thinking, more possibilities for innovation, women’s participation in political tech. and the enhanced capacity of staffers to question their assumptions. More Women argued that campaigns often equitable work environments would help failed to provide an inclusive environment. create more meritocratic campaigns. The The deeply-rooted gender dynamics of the increased presence of female leadership “boy’s club” in politics and the “bro and women throughout the ranks of culture” of tech often blend together to staffers on campaigns would further the create a difficult working environment for possibility of ideas and people being women. Our interviewees reported the evaluated fairly according to their merits lack of credit given to women, the ways and the best winning out. It would also their voices were discredited, formal and mean more opportunities for women informal forms of exclusion in campaign during the course of their careers, culture, and workplaces that at times including to launch new ventures were characterized by inappropriateness alongside their male counterparts. and harassment. Women reported that in this environment, “imposter syndrome” To get there, this report discusses a set of was particularly widespread, and women recommendations drawn from our in leadership were treated differently than interviews that encompass strategies to their male counterparts. achieve equitable representation and inclusiveness on campaigns through At the same time, women stated that more conscientious hiring and validating there is little accountability on campaigns. and promoting women’s voices, to the Human resource departments do not creation of more, and more robust, have the resources necessary to create accountability mechanisms. more deliberate hiring and firing processes or hold people accountable for Taken together, these findings led to our things such as harassment. As a result, project’s name — women are recoding the women often fail to report misconduct,
15 political tech boy’s club, although there is still a lot to be done.
16 FINDINGS
17 WHEN POLITICS MEETS TECH: WHY GENDER EQUITY IS IMPORTANT
I think it would've been different with a male [in my senior tech role]. I don't know how quite to articulate that, but I'm sure you've heard it from all walks of women you must've talked to, but it is definitely a male-dominant environment, and at the top…. It's so hard coming from technology because people inside of the campaign don't know what I do, like this concept of an engineering team inside of a campaign is so new, and so I sort of had to fight to do my “ job. I had to fight to be in the room when decisions were being made that affected what technology we had to build, and that was really hard… At [my tech firm] ideas come from anywhere, and hierarchy doesn't matter. Inside of a campaign, hierarchy matters very much.”
Senior Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign staffer
18 This study concerns the intersection of operations around the massive voter files politics and technology, a domain of built and maintained by political parties contemporary campaigning that has and firms. “Analytics” is a comparatively grown leaps and bounds since the 1996 recent term as well, but broadly captures and 2000 presidential cycles, when the the use of data analysis for the purposes Internet first began to be widely used in of what was formerly grouped under the electoral politics. Over the past four labels of “micro-targeting” and presidential cycles, in particular, there “modeling,” as well as new practices such has been a dizzying array of changes, as as media buying and web optimization. new platforms from Facebook to YouTube, Twitter to Snapchat, have These changes reflect an ongoing process changed the face of political of specialization in these areas. As communication. political technology progresses, there are increasing tensions between veteran Campaigns have responded to these and campaign practitioners and mostly other technological changes by seeking younger campaign staffers, in addition to out new sources of talent, expertise, and those who take leaves from their lucrative skills among a generation of primarily jobs in tech firms to join the cause of a young, technologically savvy staffers as presidential campaign for a cycle before well as professionals from the tech sector returning back to places such as Silicon working in commercial firms. They have Valley. These new staffers have more done so to gain the necessary expertise to fluid careers than the professionals who build new technological and data made politics their lifetime trade in a infrastructures, create campaign different era, or still do in other domains messaging across a vast array of new of campaign practice. And, getting these digital platforms, analyze thousands of political professionals to fully appreciate data points on members of the electorate, and embrace political tech — despite and engage in the data-driven analytics more than two decades of the Internet’s that enable more deliberate and effective uptake in campaigning — has long been a targeting. struggle for many of these tech staffers battling over limited budgets, entrenched The evolving terms that campaigners use campaign hierarchies, and well-worn to refer to various operations of ways of doing things. “technology, digital, data, and analytics” capture the considerable changes in To put it more bluntly, a woman who these areas of campaign practice. As we worked for a Republican presidential use it here, “technology” refers broadly to primary campaign in 2016 explained: the building of or working with information technology infrastructure. “I guess you know, the norms of “Digital” (or “digital media”) was only your average political consultant recently used widely during the 2012 that's been doing this for 700 years cycle, although it captures what in is very scared of digital still and I'm previous cycles practitioners referred to not sure how long that's gonna take. as “new media,” “Internet,” and I mean, we might, you know, no “eCampaign” operations. “Data” refers to disrespect to them, but we might
19 just have to wait for most of them to First, it matters for its own sake in a die off before this changes.” democratic country. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 50.8 percent of the Not only is political tech comparatively population are women. And yet, in 2018, new on campaigns, as we discuss women make up less than 20 percent of throughout this report it lies at the Congress. This is a basic question of intersection of two fields that are asking that our elected representatives historically male, at least in their reflect the population. We believe that this contemporary practice. Politics has long should extend to the staffers who work to been referred to as a ‘boys’ club’ because elect these representatives. Through of the underrepresentation of women deliberate hiring, campaigns should strive among elected representatives and the to resemble the democratic public that legislative and political staffs that keep candidates ultimately desire to serve. them getting elected. Tech, meanwhile, And, through intentional management and has drawn considerable scrutiny in recent organization, campaigns should work to years for its lack of gender and ensure that diverse voices are demographic diversity and pay equity. empowered to be heard on campaigns.
As a result, women face unique hurdles Second, gender equity would make for working in political tech, whether it is over better-organized and more effective the course of a campaign or a career. As campaigns. As one senior member of both often younger and tech-savvy staffers, of Obama presidential runs argued: women stated that they encountered campaign leaderships that commonly fail “Men and women generally bring to understand digital advertising and different skill sets to the table and fundraising platforms, the technological different perspectives to the table. and data infrastructures upon which So a diverse leadership team campaigns run, the vast array of data that creates a better culture, creates a lies behind all contemporary political better product, and has a clearer outreach efforts, and the returns on vision that works for more people.” investment that should be expected from consulting services and targeted ads. As women, they face male-dominated So a diverse workspaces at the intersection of these leadership team fields, which means fewer job and leadership opportunities, struggles to creates a better make their voices heard, formal and culture, creates a informal forms of workplace exclusion, and weak accountability mechanisms. b etter product, and has a clearer vision Why is gender equity important in political tech — from the presence of women in that works for more presidential campaigns to their inclusion people.” in decision-making? “
20 Our interviewees argued that more engages women in the electorate, diverse campaign staffs would create conservative and liberal — which more effective teams on a range of ultimately helps their candidates win. If a different measures. For example, the campaign wants to reach, persuade, or women we interviewed said that more mobilize its targets, it needs a team that diverse teams within campaigns are can produce content that reflects and better able to anticipate, recognize, and appeals to who they are. As a senior solve problems. Ultimately, a number of digital state staffer from Hillary Clinton’s our interviewees argued that the more 2016 bid argued: people of diverse backgrounds that campaigns can bring to the table, the “Having a bunch of white men in a more effective they are going to be at room trying to decide how to get understanding problems and challenges Latina moms out to vote is not going and generating multiple innovative to be as successful as making sure solutions to them. In addition, bringing that people who are part of that women into leadership means having a community are at the table.” more diverse set of ideas and experiences that campaigns can draw on, enabling the Fifth, gender equity makes for better organization to better question its core political tech. To create design that is assumptions and long-held ways of doing responsive to the people who are going to things. use technologies — whether they are staffers on a campaign or volunteers in Third, gender equity would make for more the electorate — requires diverse teams meritocratic campaigns. As we detail that can understand different users. throughout this report, women expressed Speaking of a team developing technology that campaigns can be challenging products that had equal numbers of men because of “bro” cultures that exist when and women, a senior member of Hillary men are predominately in power and Clinton’s 2016 campaign argued that in there is little gender diversity. Structural her experience: disparities in hiring and leadership, inappropriate behavior in the workplace, “Collaboration was better. I think our sexual harassment, and the routine products were better. I think we silencing of women’s voices on resolved problems better, and we campaigns all create an uneven field for talked about collaboration and how women. Addressing these things would we worked together, the process of help the best people and best ideas to rise working together, more than to the top. average, more than just the content of the work, and things that we were Fourth, gender equity on campaigns building.” would make for more diverse and effective ways of engaging the electorate. Taken together, political tech is both a Across our interviews, on both sides of unique area of campaign practice, and the aisle, women argued that gender- one where women face steep challenges balanced campaign staffs create in terms of representation, inclusion, and qualitatively different content that better accountability, as we detail throughout
21 this report. But, the stakes are high. generate and take up good ideas and Achieving gender equity on campaigns is promote talent, to the content that not only desirable from a democratic engages the electorate and the tech perspective, it potentially will make for campaigns deploy. more effective campaigns, from the dynamics of teams and ways they
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THE CHALLENGE OF REPRESENTATION
You need women in the room making these decisions….If we were 50-50, I bet everything would be a little different. I bet there would be a little less mansplaining. Maybe some woman-splaining if that’s a thing. As simple and cliché as it sounds, we just want equality. We want leadership to accurately reflect the population and the audience that we’re talking to, especially in politics.”
State digital staffer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign “
23 Introduction routinely cited that the goal of electing candidates outweighed any other considerations, and that people who As we demonstrate in this section, women complained of the undue time burdens or are underrepresented in the field of low pay might be asked to leave. While political technology, and especially lag the lack of work-life balance on behind their male peers in leadership campaigns affects both men and women, positions. They do not have the same it likely affects women disproportionately entrepreneurship opportunities in the more given that they are often the field that men have. primary caregivers and have familial obligations that men do not have. Women The barriers to the equal representation who had professional experience in the of women in the field of political tech are tech sector unfavorably compared their multi-faceted and systemic. Women are presidential campaign experience to their underrepresented on campaigns because tech careers, and pointed to these of the time constraints and network dynamics being unique to campaigns. relationships that shape the hiring Meanwhile, campaign hierarchies and process, in addition to gendered bureaucracies often promote men as assumptions relating to their decision-makers and leaders, resulting in qualifications. Because of the notorious women’s voices often being absent from time crunch of campaign hiring, attaining the corridors of power. the necessary staffers often outweighs a commitment to recruiting diverse hires. Where Are the Women in Men’s strong political networks provide Political Tech? informal avenues for them to be hired through word-of-mouth and former work relationships, which staffers responsible for hiring often turn to when pressed for First, we assessed the hiring patterns of time. Our interviewees also stated that men and women in political tech over the women are less likely to be hired for tech course of four presidential election cycles: roles given the pervasiveness of gendered 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. The 2004 stereotypes suggesting women are ill-fit cycle marks the start of the institution- for science, technology, engineering, and alization of technology operations within math (STEM) fields. This is particularly political campaigns. While there were true for women of color. certainly internet and other technology staffers on campaigns during previous Campaigns are also not nine-to-five jobs. cycles, such as 1996 and 2000, Howard The hours are merciless. The mission to Dean’s Internet-fueled run at the elect a candidate is prioritized over work- presidency and George W. Bush’s re- life balance and employees’ health. election bid in 2004 fundamentally Overworked employees are seldom given changed the approach that campaigns the time they need to recuperate, and had to the Internet and technology more staffers feel pressured by bosses and broadly. This lead to dedicated divisions, coworkers to work longer. Women more specialized staffers, and systematic strategizing for the use of technology,
24 digital media, data, and analytics during We approached this section of the report electoral bids. with the foundational questions: Where are the women in political technology, and how has that changed over time?
Using data from “Democracy in Action,” more detailed statement of the methods which organizes public information on behind this study, see the methodological campaign staffing, we compiled a list of appendix. all staffers who either worked in campaign divisions dedicated to Overall, we found 9% (N=87) of staffers in technology, digital, data, or analytics or 2004, 20% (N=199) in 2008, 49% (N=491) who had these words in their titles from in 2012, and 37% (N=371) in 2016 (a the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 number of staffers worked on multiple presidential cycles. This dataset contains presidential bids). Three-quarters of the 995 total staffers. We then paired this campaign staffers in this dataset worked dataset with employment history data for Democratic campaigns (75.5%, from publicly available websites. For a N=751), while the remaining quarter were
25 hired by Republican campaigns (24.5%, Again, even with the undercounting of N=244). Republicans, there is no theoretical reason to believe that campaigns and The dataset undercounts the total number consultancies hire differently with respect of Republican staffers in important ways - to gender in political tech (indeed, our - although there is no reason to think that interview data suggests that they do not). this is relevant to the findings related to gender that we present here. Federal Overall, a gender gap is clearly present in Election Commission (FEC) data does not presidential campaign hiring: Only 32% of include staffers that are hired directly by all campaign staffers from 2004-2016 consultancies to handle technology, were women. However, the gender gap digital, data, and analytics for presidential appears to be closing, albeit slowly: Only campaign clients. Democratic campaigns 19% of 2004 campaign staffers in the hire comparatively more staffers in- dataset were women, but this percentage house, showing up in FEC and other data, increased to 23% in 2008, 34% in 2012, than Republican presidential campaigns and – most recently – 37% in 2016. Males who turn more to consultancies to do have overwhelmingly dominated their staffing for them. To supplement the presidential campaign staffing on both dataset, we proactively reached out to a sides of the aisle, although slightly less so number of Republican firms that handled for Democratic candidates: 76% of various technology, digital, data, and staffers on all Republican campaigns analytics operations for 2016 campaigns, were males, compared with 65% on all resulting in an additional 64 staffers that Democratic campaigns. were not in the Democracy in Action data.
26 Among all campaign staffers in this relates to the lack of work-life balance dataset, approximately 81% (N=757) were and women’s disproportionate roles as only employed for one presidential family caregivers, which we discuss campaign, while 18% (N=169) worked on extensively in the interview portion of this two campaigns. Less than 2% (N=14) of study. Even more, women across our staffers were employed by three or four interviews related a number of gender- campaigns. Notably, women consistently specific challenges to campaign work that made up about a third of staffers working likely limited their desire and willingness on one (32%, N=241) or two (33%, N=56) to work on another presidential bid. campaigns, but among staffers of three campaigns, the percentage of women Given the importance of gender equity in dropped steeply to 23% (N=3). On the leadership roles, as detailed in this report, basis of our interviews, we suspect that we assessed staffers’ roles in presidential part of this drop-off in female campaigns to analyze who worked in representation in repeat campaigns director-level or higher roles. For every
27 one woman who has served in a director- male staffers. Further, nearly three- level or higher role, nearly three men quarters of all women (73%, N=228) have have done the same (at 29% and 71%, not served in a director-level or higher respectively). The gap continues to role, compared with 64% (N=433) of men. increase by the number of these Examining the distribution of campaign leadership roles. Among those in two staffers per election year – as well as director-level or higher roles across breakdowns of those same distributions multiple campaigns, 89% (N=39) were by gender – paints a more detailed picture men and only 11% (N=5) were women. of hiring patterns over time and between Approximately 2% of all female staffers parties as well as within particular have been hired into two director-level or campaigns. higher roles, compared with nearly 6% of
28 Despite the small percentage of staffers campaign was made up of approximately in this dataset who worked on any 2004 12% women and 88% men. Notably, the campaign (9% overall), George W. Bush’s campaign for Democratic runner-up re-election campaign hired one woman Hillary Clinton – a female candidate – for every nine men, illustrating a clear nearly reached gender equity, with 40% of gap in hiring by gender. This gap staffers being women. remained consistent, though not quite as extreme, among Democratic campaigns, Although the Obama re-election campaign with an average of 21% women and 79% hired nearly three quarters (75%) of the men. The John Kerry campaign, which staffers in this dataset who worked on a comprised nearly half (45%) of the 2004 2012 campaign, Mitt Romney’s campaign staffers in this dataset, hired comprised around one-fifth (22%) of the approximately one woman for every three remaining staffers, suggesting a stronger men (at 23% and 74%, respectively). showing of Republican campaign staffers than in previous years. The remaining In terms of hiring by gender, little seven Republican candidates each hired changed by party during the 2008 1% or less of 2012 campaign staffers. The election: Democratic nominee Barack 2012 election saw an increase in women Obama hired similar percentages by on both sides of the aisle, with a nearly gender compared with predecessor John equal distribution within the Obama and Kerry, with 27% women and 72% men, Romney campaigns: Nearly one-third of while Republican nominee John McCain’s staffers were women (34% and 37%, respectively).
29
Among staffers included in this dataset dataset included no women. This is in for 2016 candidates, Republican stark contrast with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaigns hired an average of 79% men campaign, which resembled her 2008 and 21% women. This also remained campaign: 47% of Clinton’s political tech consistent for Democratic contender staffers were women. We discuss the Bernie Sanders’ campaign, in which 20% ways the Clinton campaign is an outlier in of staffers were women. Interestingly, terms of gender equity, largely because of though, hiring patterns by gender intentional hiring practices designed to fluctuated within individual Republican achieve staff diversity, in greater detail campaigns. For instance, nearly 38% of below (see the section on Women in Jeb Bush staffers were women, while the leadership helping women under Donald Trump staffers indicated in this Recommendations).
…nearly three From 2004 -2016, for every have one female who served in a males done the same. director -level or higher role…
30
Notably, there were few differences in the turnover rates depicted above among frequencies of staffers working on both men and women and the demands of consecutive campaigns by gender. Of the presidential campaigns on staffers, 137 women staffers who worked on a attrition may be an expectation regardless 2016 campaign, 20% had worked on a of gender. 2012 campaign. Meanwhile, 19% of the 232 men staffers who worked on a 2016 Nonetheless, these hiring data illustrate campaign previously worked on a 2012 overall that disparities in gender campaign. Going back further, 15% of representation in political tech clearly women who worked on a 2012 campaign exist within presidential campaigns – and also worked on a 2008 campaign, it is an issue that exists on both sides of compared with 17% of men. This the aisle. This gender gap also has suggests, surprisingly and promisingly, implications for staffers' professional that gender may not have played a experiences after campaigns, such as significant role in staffers leaving the field opportunities for entrepreneurship. In of presidential politics across multiple total, 119 staffers (98 Democrats and 21 election cycles. However, given the high Republicans) founded 125 firms and organizations between 2004 and the months after the 2016 cycle. Ninety-four
31 men (79%) were listed as founders or “Hiring sort of happens in spurts, principals of these organizations, and we were really good in the compared with only 25 women (21%). beginning, we continued to stay good, and then there was this spurt Campaigns have made advancements in that sort of happens once it's clear terms of equal gender representation, we're going to get the nomination, albeit incrementally, over the past four where we kind of get an influx of election cycles. The Clinton campaign's money that allows us to staff up for clear role as an outlier in terms of gender what's going to be the staff through equity, both in 2008 and 2016, may initiate the general, and it's a huge growth, important conversations related to right, we almost double in size. That campaign staffing moving forward. And last kind of like spurt of hiring, it as discussions surrounding gender in the was, I feel like diversity went out the workplace become more salient, window, and it was just white guy particularly in the fields of politics and after white guy, because at that technology, the current social and political point, it's like, the clock's running, it climate may present an opportunity for takes more time and energy and it's progress. But in order for this to occur, it harder to find diverse candidates, is first important to understand why and so the net result of that was that women are underrepresented in the field last phase was really kind of just not of political technology. exactly diverse.”
Why Are Women Male-dominated political networks: The compressed nature of hiring on Underrepresented campaigns often leads to an over-reliance in Political Tech? on predominately male networks to supply campaign staffers. These networks especially come into play during Time constraints: The time crunch the early phases of a campaign. campaigns often face to fill positions Seventeen women related that before works against women’s presence on campaigns officially launch, the pipeline campaigns. Because campaigns often of hires mostly comes through networks lack the time and resources necessary for of trusted former colleagues to ensure extensive hiring processes, including candidacies remain secret. These formal recruiting and job searches, they networks do the work of vetting potential instead often engage in the rushed hiring staffers, in essence enabling campaigns of those who immediately appear on their to hire known quantities — all of which is radar — which disproportionately made more important under time advantages white men. Echoing thirty constraints which make extensive rounds other women, a junior Clinton digital of interviews hard. These practices staffer described her experiences staffing reward well-established networks, which up for a general election in the context of in the political technology space are diversity: historically male. Even more, the supply of potential applicants from tech companies is also predominantly male. As
32 the staffer cited above went on to relate, assumptions about the capabilities of even amid efforts to explicitly identify and female tech staffers among those recruit diverse candidates, there were a responsible for hiring. Women reported at number of factors that worked against times feeling condescension and achieving greater female representation belittlement from interviewers who spent on the Clinton campaign: undue time verifying their skill-sets -- which they believed received a level of “Because you’re against a ticking scrutiny that was not directed at male clock and there’s a limited number staffers. As one former Republican of months or weeks that these general election digital presidential people are working, there is a huge staffer related, describing a hiring emphasis on hiring as quickly as experience she had in political tech: possible. And that really prohibits you from doing a thorough and “It took him forever to hire me. He balanced search. It definitely favors threw me through so many hoops. the people that found their way to He made me do all of these tests like you, which all the things that help to prove myself so much. He- Yeah, you do that, all traits that men have and I was like, ‘I am really good at more than women. You have to be what I do. I don't understand why really confident. You have to be he's putting me through this. Nobody unafraid to walk in and say that else has had to go through this.’” you’re qualified to do any job. There’s some shameless self promoting in that, that is definitely It was almost like a part of networking in politics and bragging rights definitely often how people get jobs. So women are just disadvantaged in thing…it’s almost a doing that." badge of honor if
Gendered interview styles and assumptions: you’re in the office As this woman pointed to, there are a late every single number of cultural factors that shape women’s presentation styles during night.” interviews, and ultimately their ability to be hired, even if they managed to navigate “Indeed, twelve interviewees described relationship-based networks to get their foot in the door. Our interviewees work cultures on campaigns where men witnessed how unwavering confidence were inherently regarded as more and self-promotion are rewarded in competent and talented than their female campaign interviews – presentation styles peers. In many cases, women believed that seldom come as easily for women as they were just as, if not more, qualified for men given socially-defined gender than their male peers, yet described how roles and expectations. Even more, a campaign staffers often saw men as the number of women reported that there experts within the domain of political were often negative, gendered technology. As one woman who worked
33 as an engineer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 themselves first. Others pointed to the presidential campaign explained: difficulties faced by, and often the sheer absence of, women with children. One “There's been a ton of times where veteran of the 2012 Obama reelection my experience has been campaign pointed to the fact that on that marginalized or somebody assumes bid there were a lot of men who had I'm not capable of doing something children, and even pregnant women, but because I'm a woman. Oftentimes very few women with young children. As a people will put, like I mentioned, state digital staffer for the 2016 Hillary tasks that are more stereotypically Clinton presidential campaign described: female on me, part of it is they think they're not good enough and they “It was almost like a bragging rights just sort of think it's my role to do, thing, like, ‘I worked until 2:00 in the which ends up creating additional morning on X project.’ ‘Well I worked work for me, because I'm asked to until 1:00 for three days straight on do all the work the man is doing as this.’ I think everyone wants well as additional things that to...everyone is so passionate about somehow become my job, even if the same goal that it almost they really shouldn't be.” becomes...it’s almost a badge of honor if you’re in the office late The mission work of campaigns: Our every single night.” interviewees cited that another reason women are underrepresented in political Martyr mentality: Indeed, twenty women tech on campaigns is the working cited that they felt pressured by conditions. Again, these working colleagues to work long hours to prove conditions affect both men and women, their commitment to the candidate. but women disproportionately have Colleagues pressured one another into caregiving obligations that men do not. staying later. Personal well-being and This also helps explain why campaign family responsibilities consequently staffs tend to be younger. Eight women in became secondary considerations. As a our interviews chuckled, for instance, senior state data staffer for the 2016 when asked about work-life balance Hillary Clinton campaign described: because that notion was roundly disregarded by campaigns. The mission to “I mean, I think, just in general, the elect the candidate is the top priority for idea of ever really putting yourself campaigns. Women reported that time over the campaign, and over the spent away from the campaign was read mission, was not allowed. Even by other staffers as a lack of commitment when it was, okay, there’s some to the candidate. Every extra hour counted serious health issues going on here, and was perceived as a potentially because no one’s taking care of defining factor for victory. themselves...All kinds of things that I think were sort of problematic. As a result, women said they were Including, we expect you to work 80 discouraged from prioritizing their zillion hours a day...There was really physical saw them as weak if they put
34 nowhere to go if you objected. You familial and other responsibilities. That sort of just accept." said, our interviewees also cited that the hours were clearly communicated upon Again, the women we interviewed did not hire, and many accepted the personal necessarily see this as gendered in that it sacrifice given the mission to elect the affected men and women equally, but it candidate and the clear end date on robbed them of time that could be spent election day. Women also noted that the in other realms of life where women pay was not commensurate with the disproportionately have responsibilities. hours worked, but most accepted that it As a senior digital staffer on the Hillary was a worthy sacrifice to achieve their Clinton 2016 presidential campaign shared mission. argued, the pressure to be a campaign “martyr” temporarily superseded any Fifteen interviewees described this desire to maintain work-life balances: general phenomenon of political campaigns facilitating a mission over “It's interesting. I definitely never felt money mentality that fosters I had to go above and beyond to atmospheres where 90-hour work weeks compete with a man. I think in the are the norm and other priorities such as campaign, the atmosphere had a family should be cast to the wayside. For very...there's some sort of really example, a state data and analytics lead twisted martyr mentality that takes for a Democratic presidential campaign over, people are competitive, who's described how: giving more of themselves to the job and who's staying later and who's “Well I mean I think just in general, if working a little bit harder and I feel you're going to work for a campaign, that competitiveness is at all levels you're probably either doing it of the campaign. I didn't personally because you're a campaign veteran, feel that with myself and a man, but a person who loves campaigns. Or that mentality of, ‘Okay, everyone's because you really care about the staying till midnight, I'm going to cause. If you really care about the stay till one.’ Or, everyone's getting cause, they have a lot of room to just ready to go home you might say, ‘I'm make you work like crazy and not just going to stay a little bit longer,’ pay you well. You're not there for and people are like, ‘Oh well, that yourself, you're there for the person's giving a little bit more.’ mission. And that was absolutely, I That's weird, I don't know what it is don't want to say manipulate us, but that sinks into people, but everyone sort of...every second of your work wants to be a hero and stay as...and counts. If you're not here for this half work as hard as they can. It's sort of hour, that's a half hour less of a very competitive nature.” working for your candidate.”
The pay on campaigns: Broadly, our interviewees cited that because of these dynamics, campaigns tended to employ men and young people who lacked
35 Women cited that campaign workers are of pay parity between comparatively older expected to work nonstop, seven days a and younger employees or men and week, and that there was little recourse if women. Eight interviewees stated that they were unhappy pay was standardized for about or unable to I asked for a raise. the same campaign do this. For roles. Twelve others, example, one After that they pulled however, echoed the woman working in me off the road…They staffer quoted above in digital on a arguing that there were Republican primary found a girl who was pay differentials on campaign in 2016 21, paid her a lesser campaigns, and this reported thinking could relate to gender. her pay was not salary. One member of a 2016 commensurate with Republican presidential the hours logged. She primary campaign, for stated that when she instance, described a reported her dissatisfaction“ in the hopes time when senior staff were of a raise, she was replaced by a younger brainstorming whom to hire. A male woman who was willing to work the hours senior staffer said, “No, he's too for lesser pay: expensive...The partners knew that because these guys were male, they “I didn't have any days off. I was would have to pay them more than they working holidays. I was working would pay the women.” Another female weekends. There would be times staffer on a Republican 2016 presidential when they would be like, ‘Pack your primary campaign described a bags. You might be going to Arizona conversation with the campaign manager for a week, or you might not.’ I had regarding the salary they had agreed no social life. I felt like I was upon prior to her joining the campaign: making...I was working 90 hours a week. I felt like I was not making “He said, ‘It wouldn't be right for you enough for the amount of work I was to be making more money than the doing. It was just very strenuous. I guy you report to.’ He then continued asked for a raise. After that they to justify his decision by saying, pulled me off the road. At this point I ‘Well, you don't have any kids, do was 23, almost 24. They found a girl you?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Well, I'm who was 21, paid her a lesser going to cut your salary down. What salary, and she went on the road we're going to pay you is plenty of and did that.” money for a childless, unmarried woman.’” While we lack systematic data on pay in the political tech space, we know there is Campaign hierarchies and bureaucracies: a wage gap across industries that leads Eleven women we interviewed women to lose a combined total of almost emphasized that campaigns are $900 billion every year. However, not hierarchical organizations, there are very everyone articulated that there was a lack few people at the top making the
36 important decisions, and those decision- of almost like rigidly hierarchical makers were often men. Of particular system that led to having more relevance for this study, women people in power who didn’t deserve described how seniority was often more to be in power, but were, and that important than domain-specific expertise led more smart young women to when it came to decision-making around sort of be ignored at the expense of political technology. older white men who mostly, literally almost all, older white men For example, campaigns often grow out of who were just like, ‘This is the way a small group of people closest to the we’re going to do it and this is the candidate. These people in turn expand way it’s going to happen and you can the organization as they recruit staffers, like it or you can leave.’” often hiring through networks of trusted Seven of the relationships. The I think the biggest women we leadership of the enemy of creativity is interviewed at campaign charts its course various levels through the building of the bureaucracy… You within their organization and don't really have time campaigns talked development and about how rigid implementation of for everyone to put campaign electoral strategy. Our hierarchies meant their ceremonial interviewees argued that that oftentimes the small group of fingerprints on it.” position was more decision-makers around important than candidates are often males given the expertise. This is one reason political tech nature of the political field“ and hiring, and is unique on campaigns. Seven women this works to limit the voices of women. said their insights were overruled by Even on a comparatively diverse 2016 superiors with less technical knowledge. Hillary Clinton presidential bid, one Often, those overruling these women’s former staffer who worked at the state- expertise were men, specifically those in level as well as the campaign’s Brooklyn the inner circle of the candidate. Indeed, headquarters described the role of senior women commented that expertise in the males on the campaign: private sector seldom translated to position or authority on the campaigns “Sure it kills me, but I think part of they worked on, even in the domains they that [a campaign that rewarded were experts in. As one senior digital men, seniority, and status over staffer on a Republican 2016 presidential merit] is a reflection of Hillary and campaign described her experiences: the inner circle she’s traditionally surrounded herself with. That ruins “When I first got there, the CFO was me to say because I’ve defended her from the [a different sector] and he for years and years. I think it’s okay didn’t understand...Like I would start to find problematic things with our talking to him about platform stuff favorites, but I think it was that sort and all of that, and he just was so
37 annoyed with me for asking him staffers described having very little these questions. And I realized it opportunity to present new or different was because he didn’t understand, ideas to leadership. This meant that new first of all, why I was so young and ideas and perspectives could not move why I was asking him all these through the bureaucracy without questions. He didn’t, one, significant effort. And, even when they did, understand digital and how it a number of women described pertained to what he did.” encountering campaign hierarchies that were dominated by men in senior Even more, our interviewees stated that leadership. As one Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign bureaucracies limited the work presidential staffer who worked on tech they were able to perform. One woman products described: remarked during her interview that she was shocked by how much less open “In my world where I was working collaboration there was on campaigns closely with tech and digital, there than in private sector tech companies, were a lot of women in leadership, and how this limited staffers’ ability to be but it’s like we would all sort of innovative or even just get things done. As argue and then there would come a a senior digital staffer on a 2016 moment where it’s like, hierarchy Republican presidential campaign kind of would come to play, and I described: wouldn’t want to push too much beyond where my boss, who was a “Instead of just having to have the go woman, I felt like she had drawn the ahead of let's say like one of two line, but ultimately, generally in people or two of three people...it had those situations, at the top of the to go through, like this is not an hierarchy was a guy. So it was like exaggeration, ten people had to all you could push, push, push, debate, be like ‘this is exactly what I want’ debate, debate, but the person who before it would go. For me, that was ultimately, when we kind of hit frustrating because I think the deadlock, would break that deadlock biggest enemy of creativity is and make the decision, was often a bureaucracy. I understand the man. And I definitely felt at times necessity for oversight, but it's like I that I was sometimes being pushier think when you've got a good idea in or more vocal than maybe was something as timely as a political appreciated, but again, I think campaign where the news cycle because I was older and came from moves very, very quickly. You've got an environment where I was always to go. You don't really have time for the only woman in the room, it never everyone to put their ceremonial bothered me, and so I never let that fingerprints on it.” stop me from doing that.”
One consequence of rigid campaign Importance of women in leadership: This hierarchies and layers of bureaucracy, raises the issue of both the lack of women with all decisions signed off of at the top in leadership positions on campaigns in on some campaigns, is that many former political tech, as detailed above, and the
38 importance of representation. The benefits of women in positions of power …if we’re saying and leadership on campaigns was a theme brought up across our interviews. that these Our interviewees argued that women in leadership roles worked to actively communities are combat unhealthy work practices related our path to victory, to gender and create a more inclusive environment, discussed in greater detail then why are we below. They also cited that women directly work to empower and promote not putting more of fellow women. Moreover, lower level them in the women believe it is more attainable to become a director when they see women “spotlight and in those roles and want to pay forward what was done for them. staffing them up… better For example, 32 interviewees argued that if campaigns had more equal gender representation at the senior level they would have better work environments and “When women are in positions of communications. As a senior Obama 2012 power they call bad behavior out, and Obama 2008 staffer argued: “Would it they make sure women have room have been better if there were more to talk in a discussion and they help women in more roles? I would say yes, other women realize they can get to organizationally and also from an output that position.” perspective.” Nine interviewees also cited that having It is important to note that while some female directors made them personally participants said that talent should be the believe that a similar position was first consideration, the vast majority attainable in their future. And, agreed that hiring more women should be interviewees cited that this made them a necessary priority. As we detail below, realize the importance of paying forward interviewees argued that when women any efforts to help their careers that they have director roles, they are able to received. As a digital veteran of Obama’s intentionally promote women’s voices, 2012 re-election campaign and Clinton’s such as through encouraging women to 2016 presidential campaign stated: speak up in meetings, giving credit for work in visible spaces such as on email “Again, it’s important to see women chains, and bringing more women into in those positions because then you projects. Interviewees in particular can picture yourself in those mentioned these things while reflecting positions, and building the on their own careers. The same staffer relationships with the people who went on to argue: you are working with to help mentor
39 you to grow into those positions is important to get the people of color also really important.” vote, but then a lot of the teams working with some of our coalitions The underrepresentation of women of color and stuff, they were lower down in on campaigns: While we lack quantitative the food chain, and it’s like, well, if data on the racial and ethnic makeup of we’re saying that these communities political tech staffers, our interviewees are our path to victory, then why are argued that the unique hiring practices on we not putting more of them in the campaigns not only affect women, they spotlight and staffing them up better make getting campaign jobs harder for and stuff like that, so there’s women of color. Women of color have sometimes a disconnect I think historically lacked the connections and between the strategy and then the relationships white men have due to the execution of it within the cultural and social makeup of political organization, and I think more spaces and political exclusion. At the diversity early on within leadership same time, five women reported consistently could have helped that.” personally being made to feel like a “token hire” and pressured to prove they According to a director-level digital staffer were not, or witnessed this happen to on the Clinton campaign in 2016, other women of color. Our interviewees prioritizing diversity during hiring takes cited that achieving diversity and deliberate effort: “On the hiring front, diversity in hiring was like a number one inclusion on campaigns — priority, almost to the point of being a especially in leadership — is important hindrance to our hiring speed.” Campaign because it created more inclusive staffers stated that there were often campaign teams that were able to reach trade-offs between the deliberateness voters from a range of cultural necessary to proactively create a diverse backgrounds more effectively. campaign staff and speed, particularly in contexts when positions needed to be Because politics and technology are both filled quickly and as a result people hiring predominantly white, and male, fields, primarily focused on whether someone people of color, and particularly women of could do the job and how quickly they color, are often not well represented could drop everything and move to among the early hiring of campaigns, wherever was needed. Because of this, especially for senior-level positions. As a five women we interviewed believed senior tech staffer on Hillary Clinton’s diversity was overlooked during their 2016 presidential campaign related: campaign’s hiring process, often in favor of quickly mobilizing pre-existing “There was a concerted effort to be networks of relationships, which resulted diverse, but it could have been in primarily-white workspaces. better, and I think it would have yielded different outcomes, At the same time, five interviewees especially more diversity in argued that women of color on campaigns leadership positions. I think we were often treated like “token hires,” and talked a lot about how it was really they believed this lack of respect broadly
40 contributed to the underrepresentation of how the team believed it faced more women of color in political tech. One tech pressure to perform and had more to staffer on Obama’s reelection campaign prove in this context. compared her experiences in the tech industry with that presidential bid:
“You know, within the progressive I think a lot of it for me is space, because there’s this explicit recognition of gender and just sort of, it’s just seeing underrepresented voices, there’s women or women of color often, like I said, there’s this acknowledgement of promotion as in leadership. It really well, and again, there’s two sides to changes the entire work this where there’s always just an environment for me.” awareness of the fact that you represent a cohort, that you potentially could be the token. I think As detailed above, there’s a higher bar or I think in interviewees argued that achieving racial situations where it’s possible that “and gender diversity on campaigns will you were the token representative, communicate to new generations of you’re not the only one who’s women and people of color that they can worried about it. Other people at the pursue these positions, in addition to table are like, “Is she here on her leadership opportunities. For one state own merit or is it because we value deputy digital director on the Clinton 2016 and include diverse experiences?” campaign, moving from a congressional There’s an awareness that office staff made up of primarily white potentially I cleared some bar, men to a campaign staff with gender and potentially I haven’t cleared some racial diversity affected her sense of bar and I’m here as a representative belonging and perception of her ability to or potentially I did clear the bar, but move up the ranks in campaigns: everyone at the table thinks that I
didn’t and so now I’m going to have “Walking into work every single day to prove it. I think when you’re within where you have a team of really, tech, there's way more assumptions really strong women leading you that if you're at the table, it's versus walking into work and then because you're the best in the seeing the chief of staff who was a business and no one's going to balding white man and you have a question your credentials in the lot of other white men in power same way.” positions, you don’t see yourself in
power positions. It’s hard to imagine This pressure extended to teams. A senior yourself moving up. I think a lot of it digital staffer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 for me is just sort of, it’s just seeing presidential bid who worked on a state women or women of color in team praised for its diverse makeup in terms of both race and gender related
41 leadership. It really changes the entire work environment for me.” Comparisons with the tech sector: Finally, surprisingly, women who came to politics As these interviewees suggest, there is a from the tech sector cited that there were long struggle ahead to achieving equity on better working conditions in their other campaigns. Campaigns may recognize the professional lives. As detailed above, as importance and value of having women, campaigns have expanded to include and women of color, being represented in technology, digital, data, and analytics the ranks of campaign leadership and teams, they have recruited more explicitly staffers. But, as we have detailed from the technology sector. Seven women extensively, there are still a number of with backgrounds in the tech sector hurdles to diversifying campaign staffs argued that commercial tech companies given constrained hiring timelines and better support work-life balance for their resources, the reliance on networks of employees than campaigns. Four women relationships, and cultural expectations specifically pointed out that tech for men and women in political tech. As a companies more frequently relied on senior digital staffer on the Hillary Clinton skills-based assessment when hiring and 2016 presidential campaign related: merit when promoting employees, whereas in their experience campaigns “I think it's going to take a while for were often premised on networking and more women and girls to advance in internal relationships. They also generally this field and get to the top and to believed that this reflected the fact that bring women and girls along with campaigns are hastily assembled, them, let alone, I think from a temporary organizations. diversity standpoint, I think it's even worse when we talk about To take one example, many of the women differences in ethnic diversity and interviewed for this study emphasized racial diversity, I think that has, it how different the lack of work-life balance has a long way to go, even further. I on campaigns was in comparison to their do believe the adage, if you don't see experiences in the private sector. Seven it, then you're not sure you can be it, women discussed that in their private and so I do believe that that's true. sector roles they were allotted a number There are more women in of personal days to be used as needed or leadership positions in digital and wanted. In contrast, the up-front tech service today, but there are still expectation of campaign work was to go not a ton and so if you don't see non-stop and maybe take a day off on a women at the top, then you're not rare occasion to attend only to one’s most sure where your place is, and you essential self-care needs. When asked don't know if there's a place for you, about work expectations, one digital so I think that whole paradigm still analyst for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 has a really long way to go before presidential campaign who is now in the you can look up and say, ‘Okay, commercial technology sector said that: there's women in all levels of this company. I can be at that level of “It made everyone angry and cooped that company.’” up. I felt like robot, you just wake up
42 every day and do the exact same was a mistake, and I'm sorry I made thing. You had no control over your a mistake, but maybe if I'd been life or your schedule. It was the most allowed to not work a 12 hour day unhealthy work environment, in that every day, or 14 hours or whatever, I sense I've ever been a part of. I wouldn't make mistakes like this…. If would love to go back and do you're sleep deprived for six entire another one but I am really afraid of months, and then also are expected dealing with that again. Campaigns to work every single day, and even need to adjust. No one can perform when you're not at work, your boss well working seven days a week. It's can call you and ask you to read just this badge of honor that is so something, or do something. Or stupid and dated.” check whatever. And you don't exercise, I don't know…. Furthermore, women cited that while taking personal time off in the private It was like the whole thing, of course tech sector often did not negatively this is maddening. I am making impact their professional reputation or job mistakes, and it's very, very responsibilities, the reality was different frustrating because...I think to me, on campaigns. Thirteen women described my perception of what was going on believing that they lost influence, status, and responsibilities on the campaign if …people management in they took time off. In one case, a woman described losing jurisdiction over things that context was almost, that were her responsibility after taking a wouldn't say nonexistent, pre-planned and pre-approved vacation. Ironically, she said she was still blamed but I wasn't talking to when things went wrong as a result of people to be like, what other people who lacked her skill-set doing her work. Even more, women role do you want in this roundly cited that this culture of over- company next, because work on campaigns led to poor job performance. As a 2016 Hillary Clinton we all had one goal… state data and analytics staffer with a “ wide variety of research experience stated: was like the way it used to be done, and to have data analytics now and “I was working on the data analytics how it's a complex role. In that team where like you were writing world, more hours really was you code all day, or you're in Excel all knock on more doors, you can talk to day. And, you put commas in the more volunteers, whatever. As wrong place, and you mess campaigning evolved, I just feel like something up for you significantly. the thing for the workplace was to To me, the really confusing part be like not evolved with it. As a where they made mistakes, where I result, you ended up asking people was sort of like, I'm not, yeah this working on data stuff, to work 7
43 days a week for 14 hours. Well the nonexistent, but I wasn't talking to fact that that doesn't work should people to be like, what role do you not surprise anyone.” want in this company next, because we all had one goal, which was to At the same time, women often pointed elect the secretary as president.” out the differences between the private tech sector and campaigns in terms of the In sum, across our interviews we found ways that hiring, job title assignments, that women were able to excuse aspects and promotions occurred. Fourteen of campaigns that limited women’s women argued that roles on campaigns presence on them and, as we turn to in were more likely to be received based on the next section, their voices into networking than in the commercial decision-making on campaigns. technology sector; in essence, that who you knew had the power to help you along with a job or promotion as much if not more than your skills or what you achieved. In contrast, women argued that while networking sometimes mattered in landing private sector tech roles, promotions were much more likely to be based on merit and the quality of work. At the same time, four women believed that in transitioning to campaign tech from the private sector they took job roles that did not reflect their actual qualifications. Even women who believed that their campaign roles were appropriate to their skills and experience noted that their job titles often did not reflect this, and that there was not much room for negotiation.
In the end, seven women stated that they recognized these issues, but did not work to address them given the short-lived nature of the campaign and mission to elect the candidate. A software engineer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign remarked that:
“The campaign was different because it was five months. Who knows what dynamics would have played out? It's so hard to separate; people management in that context was almost, I wouldn't say
44 WHEN WOMEN ARE THERE, ARE THEY HEARD?: THE CHALLENGE OF INCLUSIVITY
I think we need a moment of reckoning among women, but especially men, about the myriad of ways they hold women back, or just discount women's experiences or ideas without realizing it. I think it's great that some of the more egregious examples of sexual harassment, and sexual assault and sexism have been...that people are shining a light on those. But I think, in some ways, that makes it harder to address these smaller, little things that “ happen every day.”
Senior Obama 2012 and Clinton 2016 staffer
45 Introduction women drew on strong mentoring and network relationships to navigate campaign dynamics and further their While women face barriers getting hired careers. into political tech jobs on presidential campaigns, in this section we show how Taking credit on campaigns: Eleven of our the workplaces they encounter once they interviewees argued that in men were get inside have underlying gender both more likely to seek out and receive dynamics that limit their voices on credit for ideas, even if they originated campaigns. with women. Women argued that generally they were more collaborative, As with any male-dominated job, the as opposed to competitive, and that power of men often shaped women's males’ ability to take credit for ideas roles and work in campaign tech impacted how the outside world such as departments. Women often felt at a the press perceived the leaders of tech disadvantage when it came to taking teams and originators of campaign credit for their work, and found that their innovations. For example, a digital staffer age, gender, and experience (especially on a 2016 Republican presidential for women coming from the tech sector) campaign believed there was more limited their opportunities to shape the competition than collaboration when decision-making and work of campaigns. discussing ideas, and that this dynamic The “bro culture” often found in political would have been different if there were tech workplaces on campaigns created more women: environments that were challenging for women to navigate, and at times gave rise “Women are definitely better to inappropriate sexual comments and collaborators. We’re more inclined behavior on the part of males. Meanwhile, to bring people together and with a women felt excluded, both formally and lot of the men running the show, I informally, from parts of campaign used to watch and sit as they talked culture and organization in ways that about how well we did X, Y, and Z limited their roles. thing and it was usually what I had done and taking full credit for that. Our interviewees stated that when women I’m like, ‘You copied on that. I’m the overcame these gender dynamics and one that had this idea. I’m the one achieved managerial and director roles, that’s created this entire they encountered differing expectations strategy...that you didn’t think was for women’s leadership and discursive going to work and now you’re taking styles compared to their male credit for it.’” counterparts. Women, especially leaders, were also expected to provide emotional Women argued that assertiveness was labor on campaigns, regardless of their required to speak up and take credit for roles -- even as they contended with the their work in male-dominated teams, devaluing of their voices by males and the particularly when somebody else was “imposter syndrome.” In this context, getting praised for it. But, credit was a double-edged sword, as one woman
46 “ related. On the one hand, if women did not personality is judged by colleagues -- who stand up for themselves, they believed receives credit on a campaign shapes that they fell into the stereotype of being too person’s work, relationships, and quiet and timid as a woman in a room full professional career more broadly. For of men. However, this woman also argued example, a senior digital staffer on Hillary that if women did stand Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign up for themselves to related the benefits of ensure they received I think that a number one of her bosses the recognition for of the very senior providing her with the their ideas that they opportunity to showcase deserved, they could be men in the campaign her team’s successes to chastised for coming were yellers, were others in the campaign: across as abrasive. In contrast, women abrasive, and that's “In 2016, when it was like argued that under we have a really good not the kind of similar circumstances fundraising day, he would men are often behavior that women have me email the respected and seen as can get away with in campaign manager, not confident for standing him, so that me and my up for themselves and“ a workplace." team could get the credit taking credit. More and the recognition for broadly, as a senior digital staffer on that. He had me building Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential relationships with senior leadership campaign related: across the campaign so that I was working directly with his peers to "I also think that, at the highest level get approval, to navigate internal of the campaign, the tenor of the politics in a way that ultimately conversation was somewhat benefited me both in the short-term aggressive and abrasive and I think and in the long-term because it in conversations like that, we know made my teams work better and it from theory and research, that men helped me build relationships with were able to perform in people who could teach me conversations like that by meeting something. He didn’t have to do that, strength with strength, are often and a lot of managers don’t.” respected, and women who meet strength with strength are often Even more, credit extends outside the punished for that…. I think that a campaign in consequential ways. The number of the very senior men in press interacts with campaign staffers the campaign were yellers, were and in the process determines and abrasive, and that's not the kind of publicizes who receives credit for the behavior that women can get away work of campaigns. The press then with in a workplace." makes those staffers known to wider audiences outside the campaign in ways There is more at stake with respect to that have significance for future careers. receiving credit than just how a woman’s For example, as one digital staffer on a
47 2016 Republican campaign stated, men veteran of Democratic campaigns during often work to put themselves in the public the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles stated: eye, which in turn leads to more job opportunities for them in the future: "And I'll go back, this has stuck in my craw for a long time, but if you “I never put go back and look at
myself out in …would I be getting the pretty much any major the public outlet that wrote a eye. I have same answer if I was a ‘here are the 10 not been 25-year old man?” staffers who made someone Barack win’ or ‘here toting and are the 10 people you tooting my own need to know from horn, which is another thing these Obama's reelection in 2012,’ in guys do really well…. They're basically all of them you would see constantly self-promoting, and nine men and usually Stephanie nominating themselves for like, Cutter. And what that meant was awards and stuff. They get [you’d see these men] and not the themselves in“ the press so they also woman they worked for.” get a notice that anybody who's in the press, that winds up getting their Experience, age, and gender: Fifteen name in the press, they wind up women reported that they were treated getting hired for a lot. Whether it's with a lack professional respect, and good or bad press, they somehow, it found it hard to discern if this was related seems to not matter either way.” to their age, newness to the political field, or gender. A number of women pointed to Women also cited that men are usually all three of these things as factors that the ones chosen by campaigns to be their caused senior leadership to view them as public faces. As a result, the press having less expertise and authority than validates certain people as the drivers others on the campaign. behind innovative campaign practices and technologies, regardless of whether this As detailed above, we spoke to many is true or not. This, in turn, has career and women who described being newcomers field impacts. Since male staffers have to presidential politics in the course of often been connected to innovative tech in relating their experiences working on a media, they are the ones who continue to campaign. Some of these women were be profiled, get invited to conferences, early in their careers when they joined a and find work and entrepreneurship campaign and found that this lack of opportunities after elections end. Even political experience led to their voice not more, this further perpetuates the idea being heard by political veterans. As a that men are better suited to political senior staffer on a Democratic tech, which then influences who gets presidential campaign described: hired on campaigns and who receives leadership opportunities. As a senior “In terms of me, I was the youngest one on senior staff and that often
48 came up, in times when I knew what because that all kind of goes to how we should be doing and was other people perceive you. At times I shrugged off as not knowing better think if I had come from a different or you’re new here. Which is hard background or been a little older, or because those other things were yeah. Maybe being a man would’ve true. I volunteered on a lot of stuff helped, but again, I have no way of with politics but I hadn’t worked on knowing that. I do know I felt them before and other folks did have different when I was in the meeting more experience so it’s kind of hard where it was like, it was mostly old to kind of suss out, would I be men and then there were some getting the same answer if I was a young men and then there were 25-year old man?” some women older than me and then there was me. I mean, like, you Other women came to presidential politics couldn’t help but feel different.” from other industries, including tech, and found themselves at a disadvantage. As a senior Hillary Clinton 2016 These staffers often described bringing presidential campaign staffer with a different understandings, expectations, professional background in commercial and ideas about how to do political tech to tech related: campaigns based on their experiences outside of politics. At times, their “I feel like my uphill battle with the approaches conflicted with the campaign, as crappy as the experiences and best practices of environment was being a woman, I veterans of the field, even in the felt like my bigger uphill battle was comparatively new domain of political being an engineer, and when I think tech. Four interviewees stated that, about the answer to your question, I regardless of their career stage, they would want to be in those rooms not were often seen as inexperienced if they because I was a woman, but did not have the same campaign or because technology can help. Like, political experience as political veterans. technology could've...the way we did Women who had gained their primary polling is one example, but also the professional experience in another way we made decisions about how industry stated that they were treated as to spend our advertising money junior on the campaign, even if their online versus offline.… I'm just political work was directly relevant to telling you because when I reflect on their professional career. As one woman what was heard, maybe I wasn't in who worked for a 2016 Republican those rooms because I'm a woman, presidential primary candidate described but I think more, I wasn't in those her experiences on the campaign being rooms because I was this foreign both young and with her primary work engineer, and to me, that nobody experience in another industry: could quite make sense of, and that was a really bigger hurdle to get “I don’t know if it [having ideas over." discounted] was a matter of gender. I can kind of never know that
49 When gender, age, and political digital and tech. The leadership at experience combined, women cited that the very top was men, in particular they often limited their ability to bring on the tech side, they were like a new perspectives and their specialized little bit of sexist men. And it was not skills to the campaigns they worked on - necessarily the most women which are important reasons campaigns friendly workplace. When I worked recruit from different professional fields in [redacted], my entire senior team in the first place. A tech staffer on a 2016 was dudes...until I got there. We had Republican primary campaign with a like a senior staff retreat with background in the commercial technology donors, and the only women in the sector, for instance, described how: room were me, [names redacted], and then there were like 30 men, “That was the toughest challenge I mostly white. So that was not ideal had with people who had been in either, which meant that I had to find politics was kind of like retraining different ways to argue for my them: ‘yes, I know you did it this way program because often, I was back in 2012, we're going to try for dismissed. Because also, I’m pretty something different because I think young, so I was dismissed as...I the technology has evolved and I reminded people of their think that the consumer has evolved granddaughters as opposed to a and I think the way that people professional, which was consume information has changed. problematic.” We're not going to do it that way.’” Relatedly, women we interviewed stated While outsider perspectives are important that they often felt stereotyped and boxed for campaigns, especially in the domain of into traditionally female roles. Women rapidly changing consumer tech, fifteen argued that gender expectations showed women talked about how senior male in the tasks women were expected to leadership assumed they were less perform and the behaviors they were technically skilled than their male judged for (discussed in greater detail counterparts, even if they had extensive below). For example, eight women from industry experience. Women described both Democratic and Republican their male bosses unnecessarily campaigns discussed being expected to criticizing their work, ‘mansplaining.’ and take on traditionally female offering technical advice outside of their responsibilities such as clerical work that area of expertise (see below for a fuller they believed they were overqualified for discussion). Again, women described how and were not a part of their job their age and gender interacted to shape description. Meanwhile, many women these dynamics. As one Obama reelection often felt that they did not get credit for campaign veteran working in digital the work they did do. A Hillary Clinton described: campaign 2016 veteran with prior digital experience, for instance, was expected to “So, on Obama, it was a pretty...It take notes for her male bosses in was more men than women, I’m meetings: sure the numbers bear that out in
50 “I had to unlearn a lot of things...It powerful position in his forties and was your typical girl in the meeting would often, the power dynamics of takes all the notes and then does all trying to derail what I wanted to do of the work and gets none of the that are kind of hard to suss out in a credit. It was very much the dynamic boss because they are allowed to in [redacted state name], which tell you what to do or override your frustrated me for a lot of reasons…. I decisions.” was like, ‘We’re working for fucking Hillary Clinton and this is what our Finally, a number of interviewees also dynamic is?’” argued that digital operations, a growing area of campaigns where women are I had to unlearn a comparatively better represented, is often not taken as seriously as better lot of things...It was established areas of campaigns such as your typical girl in communications or even more recently organized areas of political technology the meeting takes with higher status, such as data and all the notes and analytics. As a result, eight of our interviewees working in digital politics then does all of the wondered if they experienced being work and gets none dismissed on campaigns because they of the credit…” were women, or if it was because digital “ was often looked down upon. As a senior state digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s Female staffers also described how their 2016 presidential campaign related: gender and age shaped their ability and “The other thing that I don’t know if willingness to speak up about these it’s tied specifically to being a dynamics. Some women described male woman or what, but working in bosses expressing explicitly derogatory digital, it was belittled a lot in the views regarding their age or gender. beginning. I don’t know if it’s Others spoke about fearing retaliation, because it’s digital and politics was either in the context of their superior’s newish and not yet getting the props power over their job and its that it deserved, or if it was because responsibilities or capacity to harm their the mouthpiece of the digital careers. As a state data and analytics program was me a woman. A lot of staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 the times we’d have meetings and presidential campaign related: people would be condescending and
be like, the only question they would “In a meeting about a report it ask me about our plan for wasn’t out of my mind that this boss something is like, ‘What’s our had made multiple sexist jokes. I hashtag gonna be?’ which is like was aware of that dynamic and shitty, and digital is a lot more than knowing I’m a woman in my mid- hashtags. But again, I can’t say for twenties and he’s in a more sure if that was because of the
51 digital or because of me being a blurred. Fifteen women discussed offhand woman.” sexist comments, jokes, or other gender- related comments being a routine part of Bro culture: As this staffer reveals, a office culture. Three women spoke of number of interviewees argued that incidents where they felt uncomfortable campaigns, particularly within the domain by flirtatious comments made by male of political technology, is still a boys’ club. peers or superiors, but did not define it as ‘inappropriate’ in the broader context of One example women cited is that drinking the campaign. They instead preferred the late in the office, or outside of it, is often a language of ‘off-putting’ (which still big part of the campaign experience. This clearly signals the fact that it made has the capacity to blur the lines of what women uncomfortable.) As another senior is appropriate to do at work and with co- state digital staffer for Hillary Clinton’s workers and, at times, turned campaigns 2016 presidential campaign described: into a ‘frat-like’ culture. “Yeah, just like the way he would Campaigns are notorious for their stress, talk to you would be kind...It seemed long hours -- and booze. Women cited overly flirtatious. And again maybe experiencing a number of situations that he didn't intend to come off that way, blurred lines between professional and but that's how it came off. It was social, which increased the possibility of never like, there was no inappropriateness. For example, one inappropriate behavior. It was just woman stated that a male colleague who kind of off-putting behavior.” was often inappropriately flirtatious texted her to “prepare your body” for the drinking they were going to do that night Everybody has been at bars. A senior state digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential making the same campaign described how: jokes that every
“There was just always like a fratty time a new article vibe to campaigns, like you’re comes about always working late, there’s always alcohol. People who could and #MeToo, like when should report probably feel is it hitting uncomfortable given the nature of how weird your relationships are campaigns? with people you work with on the “ campaign.” Overall, a number of women cited that the mix of long hours, bro culture, alcohol, As this woman pointed to, what was blurred lines, and stress can provide a inappropriate or not could be hard to toxic mix that results in women feeling define in the context of a campaign uncomfortable and potentially can lead to because the lines between working and inappropriate behavior, harassment, and personal relationships were so often
52 even assault in the workplace. As one Two women also argued that these staffer argued, speaking about campaigns double standards applied to office more broadly (not necessarily political relationships. Given that staffers are tech): spending upward of fifteen hours a day together, they get to know each other "I think it's something that a lot of pretty well. This fact, coupled with the women are dealing with, but like it's prevalence of alcohol and stress, so rampant in campaigns. increases the likelihood of hookups and Everybody has been making the dating on campaigns. Women cited, same jokes that every time a new however, that there was often an unfair article comes about #MeToo, like double standard when it came to dating when is it hitting campaigns? It colleagues. When asked about what hasn't hit campaigns yet. It's advice she would give to a new generation because it totally is coming, it's just of campaigners, for instance, a senior like a matter of when and it’s director on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 because it's so well known that this presidential campaign advised against is how bad shit is here. Long hours, starting a relationship or fling on the a lot of alcohol.” campaign trail, which she said can make an already stressful experience absolutely Double standards: Women raised an issue exhausting: of a double standard when it came to the bro culture of campaigns. Our “Do I think that [dating or hookups] interviewees argued that there is a stigma punishes women more than men? attached to women who party on Yes. Depends on the campaign, but campaigns, whereas men are praised or generally, yes. Yeah…. There’s even celebrated for the same behavior. obviously gossip…. But I think it’s not For example, one state data and analytics that there’s a judgment call being director on the 2016 Clinton campaign made about your character so much described the tendency to ignore or even as when you’re doing so much celebrate men’s ‘extracurricular’ emotional labor for work, adding on activities: a layer of sitting in a meeting with your now ex-boyfriend or flirting “I can tell you that my [white male] with one guy while the guy that deputies got a lot more credit than you’re seeing is ten desks over…. It some other women in the office. I just adds a layer of exhaustion that think that’s just a way young men is so unneeded and very rarely are viewed as for their potential and worth it.” no one talks about their extracurricular drinking activities, like it’s an asset that they’re extra Informal forms of exclusion: Related to fun and the things they do versus the idea of bro culture, numerous women young women in the office that seem pointed to feeling excluded from informal more as irresponsible. And so that forms of socializing on campaigns. Some to me was really interesting to kind of our interviewees cited that they were of be aware of that going on.” not invited to hang out with ‘the boys’
53 outside of the office -- at those informal leadership positions said they were not sites of socializing that often have invited to meetings they should have been important professional consequences in at, and that people were not reprimanded terms of helping staffers build for excluding others from meetings, even relationships and trust. if they did not have a good reason. One digital staffer on a 2016 Republican For example, three women cited feeling presidential campaign, for instance, excluded from social activities with ‘the described the systematic way she was left boys.’ One woman who played football out of key channels of communication on with other the campaign: men and women in my other boss just flat “Then, my other boss just flat out the office left me out of meetings and to blow off out left me out of wouldn't give me certain steam said meetings and wouldn't positions, only gave his buddies that it was that were men certain positions ironic give me certain and kept them in the loop and let when she - positions, only gave his them basically do whatever they - and every wanted. Whereas I was so other buddies that were men restricted on things and cut out of woman on certain positions.” things. They were just the charismatic and charming and campaign“ -- did buddies with everybody, you not get invited to join the office fantasy know.” football league. For her, this captured the ways in which informal forms of exclusion Challenges faced by women in leadership: limit women’s professional opportunities: Fifteen women pointed to the unique challenges that female directors and “So that I think was more funny to managers on campaigns faced. These me than anything; that here we women argued that sexism is still were, a few women and a couple prevalent and does not disappear when guys had organized this football that women reach positions of power. Even we were playing but weren’t invited when women were in higher-level to the league about fake football. But positions, they believed their leadership yeah I think in this instance I don’t styles were judged by different standards think I missed out on a ton. Those than their male co-workers. weren’t really the folks I wanted to connect with professionally, but I For example, eight women argued that think that was a great example of stereotypes about women in positions of what happens all over, is those power were prevalent. Interviewees cited informal ways to get face time.” not being able to act as leaders without being labeled a “bitch,” and that they Beyond this, women pointed to more could not be detail-oriented without explicit forms of professional exclusion seeming like they “nagged” others on the within campaigns. Five women in team. The way female directors and
54 managers were talked about was sexist “I think in our department, we and lacked respect, as one senior state largely tried to keep that abrasive data staffer for the 2016 Clinton campaign competitiveness out of our work, but and veteran of the Obama re-election bid at the senior staff level, it was much stated in the context of recalling the way more pervasive…. I would say that male colleagues spoke about a woman in specifically, [name redacted] his a leadership role: strategy of winning arguments with other department heads was to yell “I felt the way she was talked about at them and belittle them. That was not okay. And that was happened a number of times during absolutely gendered. Yeah, and I the campaign. It wasn't ever think also, to be honest, some of her punished. He won arguments…he flaws were things that were very was the loudest and he would win. traditionally thought of to be like And I can’t think, that I can't think of flaws of women. She was pretty, she a single example of a woman leader was like really detail-oriented, and on the campaign acting like that. people thought she was things you think of as like gendered traits. I just A number of women argued that other felt that the things they were approaches to leadership, including more complaining about were things...To collaborative ones, at times failed to be fair, she wasn’t my boss, I didn’t garner respect from abrasive men. As a work with her that closely, so I can’t result, our interviewees cited that women really say that those weren’t actual in leadership roles sometimes tried to problems. Maybe they were, but I assume assertive qualities typical of men. still think that there’s a difference They reported being sanctioned for between saying I don’t like her breaking gendered behavior norms which leadership style, and saying she’s a prescribed compassion and cooperation. bitch.” While men respected and rewarded other men for acting aggressively, our At the same time, 18 women reported that interviewees argued that women who aggressive personalities were especially imitated that behavior were met with prevalent within the senior ranks of male disdain. Women in leadership therefore campaign staff. Women on both sides of faced a double bind to earn respect in the the aisle told stories of senior staff males workplace. And, as detailed above, who yelled to quell opposition and created women reported feeling an added environments where abrasive pressure to maintain their likeability on competitiveness was ubiquitous. Women top of executing regular work reported male behavior that belittled and devalued women’s opinions more generally, and was rarely reprimanded since leaders themselves also employed this approach. As one senior digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign stated:
55 responsibilities — a pressure men rarely faced. Even though I wasn’t the highest ranking person on Emotional labor: Our interviewees reported that women in leadership on any of the teams I was ever campaigns were also expected to engage on…I always felt very much in “emotional labor.” As researchers have like I was a leader and used the term, emotional labor refers to the ways workers manage their feelings responsible for other people’s in accordance with organizationally defined expectations, rules, and moods, and feelings, and guidelines. In practice for female “ability to work.” leadership in political tech, it involved listening, validating, and being a support system for the people these staffers as detailed above: “So certainly there was worked with. In interviews, we heard from an emotional labor of getting things done four staffers that women expend more while making sure everyone still likes you, time and energy on emotional labor than and thought that you were a nice person, men. As one senior staffer on Hillary and I don’t think that the men at the Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign senior level of the campaign felt that summed up: “The...women really ended pressure.” up taking on the emotional labor of managing the team and ensuring that A Senior staffer on Hilary 2016 and digital relationships with other departments stagger for Obama 2012 stated that were productive.” emotional labor is especially tricky in the context of women at times having to do As this staffer goes on to argue, senior extra work to carry someone that was not male staffers on the campaign did not pulling their weight: have the same responsibilities or expectations. This highlights that men are “The rest of us had to compensate, able to spend more time on traditional but also be really nice about it and campaign labor than women, and are not sensitive. On the Clinton campaign I as invested, or expected to be, in the really did feel like...a woman leader. social and emotional work required to Even though I wasn’t the highest make workplaces function, which could ranking person on any of the teams I lead to differential promotions or credit if was ever on, except for the small emotional labor is not recognized by team that I managed, I always felt campaigns. very much like I was a leader and For example, another important aspect of responsible for other people’s emotional labor is balancing productivity moods, and feelings, and ability to with maintaining good relationships with work.” coworkers. Another senior digital staffer from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign These interviews highlighted the said, in sharp contrast to senior men on importance of emotional labor in building the campaign being abrasive and yelling positive and productive team dynamics.
56 Because campaign work is particularly to what a number of women cited was a demanding and stressful, this labor is phenomenon of ‘progressive hypocrisy,’ necessary to ensure that teams function where men who worked in Democratic well together and produce quality work. politics believed they could get a ‘pass on However, women should not have to carry feminism’ because they are progressive all the emotional weight on their (especially if they were working on shoulders. Both men and women should Clinton’s campaign): be equally invested in and equipped with the emotional intelligence and “I mean, I think there was a lot of, compassion to manage group dynamics, yeah, progressive men who think personalities, and conflicts, and feel the that they are experts shared responsibility of doing so. on particular topics…. I got mansplained so much on that Habitual disregard for female voices: campaign, it was Relatedly, 19 women across our ridiculous, and I remember joking interviews cited having to navigate around and being like, ‘Is it still workplaces that were at times mansplaining if it’s characterized by conflict and aggression, like a woke, gay man who’s not collaboration, which they argued was mansplaining?’ And it’s like, yeah, it more of an approach of the women on still is, and my boss still campaigns. They argued that men were quotes me, I guess at some point, I often assertive and dominant in meetings, snapped at some guy, and I was like, providing little space for women to voice ‘Don’t mansplain to me what a their opinions and thoughts. They argued database is. I have a computer that men regularly condescended to science degree...’ She was like, ‘That women by discounting their competency was amazing when you said that,’ and explaining already-understood and I remember who I said that to, concepts – a phenomenon colloquially we’re great friends, but still, at that known as “mansplaining.” time, he in the official rankings, probably outranked me, but I felt For example, 18 of our interviewees comfortable saying stuff like that, stated that men often talked over women because it was just like, you know, in meetings and devalued their speech again, if you feel confident to sort of when they did interject. They cited that push back, then it was bearable, but aggressive personalities were especially I could see that if you didn’t have prevalent within the highest ranks across that confidence or didn’t have that all campaigns, but when women tried to experience to push back on that kind adopt more aggressive demeanors to of stuff, it could really be assimilate, they were punished for frustrating.” breaking gendered behavior norms. Others described needing confidence to As this staffer makes clear, even in the push back on males who devalued their best case scenario - which a number of knowledge and experience. As a senior women described as a 2016 Hillary tech staffer on the 2016 Hillary Clinton Clinton campaign where there was presidential campaign described, pointing greater representation of and inclusion
57 for women - women still argued that they This staffer also noted that when she were the ones calling out problematic was a victim of “accidental behavior that male behavior, not everyone felt typically happen[s] to women,” such as comfortable doing so, and it did not often being talked over, “he did a really good change that behavior. As a digital staffer job of calling out that behavior in the on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential moment to people who were doing it, but campaign described: also saying to [her] afterwards like, ‘I’m sorry that happened.’” “I do think that [on Hillary for America] there was a pretty good sense of women calling things out, …there was definitely and men recognizing or at least a dynamic within our acknowledging, not to say that that really would change their behavior, team of people who but I don't remember any men had worked together calling anything out on their own accord of like, ‘Hey, man. That's not before…I was very cool,’ or, ‘I just saw that happen. Are mindful of trying to you okay?’ I don't remember anything like that ever happening, play by the rules and but I do remember women being not make like, ‘You need to respect women,’ or this incident happened and not “recommendations having a terrible reaction to that, if for how to change that makes sense.” the rules until I had Several other women in our study built up that trust…. I reported feeling supported by both male peers and male supervisors. One regional had 10 fucking years digital director on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 of experience. presidential campaign, for instance, spoke highly of a former manager who went out of his way to solicit feedback about how Imposter syndrome: Four of our women’s experiences on the campaign interviewees argued that many women could be improved. As she recalled: lacked the necessary confidence to speak out in campaign settings, especially to call “One thing that he would always ask out problematic male behavior, but more in our one-on-ones that we had broadly to make their voices heard. A every week, every other week, was senior digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s just like, ‘Is there anything that you 2016 presidential campaign, for instance, feel particularly as a woman that we described experiencing “imposter could do differently or better or syndrome,” where she hesitated to share places you’re being singled out?” ideas and make suggestions because she felt like an outsider to the campaign and
58 was unsure about her ideas and want to ever have someone feel like experience, despite having significant I'm threatening their area, and there experience and expertise in the work was definitely a dynamic within our domain she was responsible for. team of people who had worked Research has found that “imposter together before, who had already syndrome,” or the mistaken belief that been there for a couple months, and one is unqualified or underqualified so I was very mindful of trying to relative to peers, disproportionately play by the rules and not make affects women and people of color. recommendations for how to change the rules until I had built up that Even more, these women compared their trust…. I had 10 fucking years of own self-doubts with the personas of experience. I had done this for a very more outspoken male staffers, who long time. I definitely knew what I seemingly had more confidence in their was doing, and yet, I watched the expertise and little reticence about situation, and I felt like, well, I don't contributing their thoughts. A number of know anything about a political our female interviewees, in particular, campaign.” discussed how males on campaigns were more confident and assertive than Indeed, a number of women who came women. As a tech staffer on Hillary from outside of the political field to a Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign presidential campaign echoed this staffer argued: in citing their lack of campaign experience as one reason they refrained from “It’s just a no brainer that men sharing their expertise, which in turn cuts will...often present their ideas with against the innovations that people more confidence and certainty than coming to campaigns from outside of the a woman even if they’re not field can bring, as detailed above. As one necessarily more correct or digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 qualified. Because they come off like presidential campaign related: “In that that people will often assume that way, I think I delayed the advancement they are more correct than the that I could've had earlier because I was woman that has question marks in really sort of...I didn't want to rock the her voice.” boat, and I felt like I had not been in politics before.” Interviewees believed Contrasting herself with males on the that, by contrast, male colleagues, even campaign, one digital staffer on Hillary those in similar situations, had less Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign hesitation to speak their minds and share recalled the ways that she carried herself their opinions. professionally: Interviewees stated that one thing feeding “I think the one thing that I was imposter syndrome was the fact that their conscious of, and I think this is a skills or knowledge in traditionally male gender-specific thing, is I'm always domains such as coding, software really mindful of not stepping on development, and video editing were people or taking up space. I don't underestimated or demeaned by male
59 peers. As a national and state digital Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential staffer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign related how far she has come presidential campaign related: in her career:
“I mean, there's lots of little things, “I think I'm still, even now, still especially in video, like men tend to learning to use my voice and feel feel like they know more about confident speaking out and feeling technical stuff. They'll try to control self-confident about my opinion. I'm all of that if they can. Yeah. Then just still learning that after all these like the side comments that people years, and even being at a probably don't even realize they're necessarily strong female doing of just like, ‘I can't believe that environment for part of my career, I you actually do that,’ is just not can still second guess myself and productive….There’s definitely a day- hold back. So yeah, so I wish I had to-day, and this is obviously very not held back at certain moments specific to my job as a video and said what I really thought...” producer, that my God, every single time I get up on a press Mentoring relationships: For many riser and set up a women, mentorship was crucial tripod, put my to enabling them to break into camera up and campaign networks, ascend every time I political ladders, and cover an event, ultimately further their which careers. Women sought happened mentorships for setting countless goals, confidence boosts, times on the advice, social support, and campaign, there learning of employment have been men opportunities. Similarly, who come up to some female mentors me and try to tell me specifically sought out younger how to use my camera. I female mentees to fulfill a perceived am not exaggerating when I say that. duty of helping to increase gender parity There have been guys who come up in politics. to me and tell me that I should frame the shot differently….There’s For example, according to 32 of our just been endless mansplaining interviewees, the presence of senior when it comes to actual video women on campaigns helped them, or shooting." other women, navigate campaign environments. Female mentors helped In this context, women described a long women resolve workplace conflicts and process of gaining their confidence and set personal goals. Sixteen women voice. Once they did so, they related reported that female mentors helped looking back and evaluating their earlier them build confidence in their selves. As one senior digital staffer on competency. Oftentimes senior women
60 helped their mentees with job placement, still would consider them a mentor and so mentorship helped advance today, and having a situation, I might women’s representation in the field of reach out to them, but definitely in political tech. Eighteen women, for terms of feeling comfortable and instance, credited at least one feeling like I could talk about a employment opportunity to their mentors’ spectrum of things when you're networks. As a senior digital staffer on thinking about a career moment in the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential your life, for me…. I'm also a new campaign and veteran of the candidate’s mom and so my family and my 2008 campaign as well related: personal life is a big factor for whatever things I'm making “I think, I hope, I'll have them [my professionally, and so I think I feel mentors] for the rest of my life, more comfortable talking to a because even now I'm, actually I woman about probably that whole don't know if I'm mid-career, but spectrum.” older and I still feel like they are just as important now as they ever were. Women intentionally mentoring young In terms of helping me set goals, men can also reap benefits in terms of helping me look ahead in your their increased awareness of gender career, helping you see all the issues on campaigns. A woman different sides of choices in front of mentoring a male can also have spillover you. So yeah, from the very effects in terms of creating male allies beginning, my mentors have who can work to check the behavior of changed over time, but they have other males or promote women’s voices always been really important from a position of power. For example, a particularly when I'm trying to figure senior regional digital staffer on Hillary out a next step or I'm thinking about Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign how to tell my story or my spoke about a male hire with a female narrative.” mentor who was surprisingly aware and had a detailed understanding of gendered Though 15 women noted they had work dynamics: meaningful male mentors, according to seven interviewees women reported “What annoys me is that everybody experiencing more ease approaching thinks that he's in charge when the women for mentorship, especially when two of us get on a phone call even personal circumstances such as though I hired him and he motherhood made gender a more salient recognizes that and tries to step factor in a woman’s career. As a senior back as much as possible. I think the digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 reason why is because his mentor is presidential campaign related: a woman and so he's always been aware of...I've thought about this a “I suppose I've had a few male lot recently, because this woman mentors, but I feel more comfortable brought him up in politics, he seems with women. I wouldn't oppose it, to be more attuned to understanding and I've had a few in the past, and I that there are gender dynamics that
61 exist at a really minute level and so similar stages in their careers, in order to he's more aware of them and that's navigate a male-dominated field. These been fascinating.” female-centric networks, which do not necessarily have to be limited to the field While some women said that gender was of political tech, are important in terms of an irrelevant factor in their mentoring and creating support structures and hiring they are equally open to both male and and promotion opportunities for all female mentees, women in the network over the course of others were very their careers. intentional in I…try and be someone choosing women who looks out for junior For example, 16 women to mentor expressed that the because they view staffers, who will make support provided through mentorship as a sure that like, ‘Hey, these networks helped duty to help level build their confidence the gendered you're sabotaging and ultimately helped playing field in yourself here?’” them and other women politics. As a advance in their careers. senior veteran of Through these networks, Democratic campaigns during the 2008, women supported each other and 2012, and 2016 cycles“ related: counteracted the male-dominated networks of the campaign world. As a “I feel pretty strongly about your job senior veteran of Democratic campaigns as a woman being to promote other during the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles women pretty intensely. I do that. related: I've hired and trained lots and lots and lots of women who I'm “I have a group of women now that a recommending for jobs all the time friend of mine who actually used to and roles all the time, and serving have the job that I'm in right now, a as a reference all the time. That kind few years ago, but she just got of shameless promotion I think is together a bunch of girlfriends and really important. When you’re we've grown the list and it's become seeking out mentors, looking for something where if someone writes people who are where you want to something, we share it with the be, looking for women who are group and everyone shares it on where you want to be someday, I their social networks. Or when we think it’s helpful. But I also think as a know of organizations that are woman who has been...I almost looking for jobs, we trade it back and don’t want to put it on someone forth and say, ‘Anyone know of any younger in their career to come find good women for these jobs?’ Things me, I want to go find them.” like that. Where I think it's a priority to have a strong female network, Network relationships: Other women whether that's mentors or not, and I emphasized the importance of having a think we all view it as important to network of female colleagues, often at try and mentor people. I don't know
62 how much I succeed at that, but to of figuring out how to navigate try and be someone who looks out things...How to navigate salary for junior staffers, who will make conversations and how to deal with sure that like, ‘Hey, you're bosses. I think I’ve just gotten sabotaging yourself here’ or ‘Hey, personal support by folks I’ve you should be going out for that job. worked with previously but those Why aren't you?’ and who connects are less women in tech and more people.” just previous coworkers in other fields.” Meanwhile, as a state data and analytics director on the 2016 Clinton campaign described:
“I definitely found my professional networks to be supportive in terms
63 THE CHALLENGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
That was the campaign where I really had to learn how to edge into a conversation where all dudes were talking to each other and I wanted to speak up and say something. And I remember lots of conversations with other women, particularly who worked closely on that bridge between digital and tech, being really exhausted by that. Because a lot of the women on the technology team were product “ managers, they were basically responsible for managing a team of male developers without being the direct report. That's a challenging position no matter what, especially if the structure isn't super intentional, that's the nature of technology a little bit or the way tech teams are specifically built. But in this situation, I think, they often felt pretty undermined and disempowered. Again, whether that was because they were women or not, I can't definitively say. There was a pattern that all women kind of felt that way.”
Senior veteran of Democratic campaigns during the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles
64 Introduction HR departments’ lack of time and resources: Our interviewees reported that campaigns often lack the human In addition to the challenges women face resources infrastructure that is common in terms of representation and culturally in other workplaces. Thirty-six women male-dominated workplaces, women pointed to two problems. Campaigns have few ways of holding people either lack a formal HR department accountable for inappropriate behavior, entirely, or the department is arbitrary exercises of power, and understaffed and has limited resources. retaliation for reporting. In this context, Both of which lead women to have doubts and coupled with the time delimited that campaign HR could be effective and nature of campaigns and the mission- helpful at resolving workplace issues. driven aspect of the work, women often avoid or ignore issues in the workplace. Women argued that when formal human resources departments on campaigns do Women argued that campaign human exist, they are oftentimes understaffed resources departments often lack the because campaign budgets are tight and time, staff, and resources to provide HR is often an after-thought given the policies, structure, and aid to staff. As a mission of getting a candidate elected. To result, women who find themselves on take one example, on Hillary Clinton’s the receiving end of a toxic work 2016 campaign - where there were over environment due to a colleague’s there was over 800 staffers at harassment or misconduct -- implicit or headquarters alone - a team of four explicit — frequently fail to report these human resources and diversity officers incidents. If they consider reporting, they were responsible for approximately 4,200 fear potential repercussions and staffers nationwide. retaliation. Indeed, our interviewees argued that men in trouble often get a Five women cited that because employees pass due to their high status and powerful are usually working on the campaign for networks, leaving the women who only a short period of time, things such as reported them vulnerable to backlash. employee satisfaction, development and growth, long-term job satisfaction, and Women, in turn, report having to pick up advancement are not a top priority. Eight the slack for men who may be less women described, for instance, how qualified for their position than the ineffective staffers were often worked women serving under them. Without around rather than coached or fired due accountability in the campaign workplace, to time constraints and sunk costs in female staffers tend to avoid and ignore employees. As a tech staffer on Obama’s the issues facing them in order to keep reelection campaign described: the mission of the campaign on track, which often outweighs the desire to shake the system up and create more equity in the workplace.
65 “HR departments aren’t there, “I don’t know if anybody told you, I they’re really there to process don’t know what your experience is paperwork. They’re not there to help if you’ve ever worked on a you figure out how to move campaign. There’s this thing that somebody around. Once you hired they do called ‘layering’ someone, somebody into that position, you which is if someone’s not doing their don’t have money to hire somebody job well, they can’t really fire you else for that position and you’re not because they don’t want you to go to going to fire them. It’s just not going the media, and then that will look to work. It’s bad for them. So they just
not going to …she wasn’t offered bring in someone to do your happen. job over you, while you’re still Firing on his salary, or his there. I had at least one friend campaigns title, she was just who was essentially asked to doesn’t happen, layer her boss because he so there’s such a told to do all of the wasn’t doing his job. But she disincentive to stuff he was wasn’t offered his salary, or take risks. It’s his title, she was just told to only a year. You supposed to do.” do all of the stuff he was only have a year. supposed to do.” Are you really going to hire somebody, have them work Fear of retaliation: The lack of effective for three months, figure out it’s not human resources infrastructure has working, fire them“ and then hire implications for all staffers, but women in somebody else and have them ramp particular see the repercussions up for three months? No.” disproportionately affecting them when they encounter workplace issues and In this context, women described a have nowhere to turn or ways of holding practice called ‘layering,’ where a lower people accountable. level staff member unofficially takes on the responsibilities of a higher-level For example, 14 women cited fearing that staffer. Women described a mentality on anything they requested or any complaint campaigns that they are too short and they made — from asking for a higher high profile to fire certain people who do salary to reporting inappropriate behavior not do their jobs well, especially if that — would get them fired or have hiring might lead to bad press. Women consequences for their jobs or careers. As described disproportionately being asked a staffer on a 2016 Republican to take on the work of male superiors presidential campaign described, without an increase in pay or position, speaking in the context of a request for a redistributing labor to compensate for the salary increase: “If someone complains or underperforming employee, rather than says anything or whatever, they’ll fire firing him. As a senior state data staffer them and bring on someone else who’s for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign young and who will do it for nothing.” described:
66 Indeed, only 12 women reported the “When I spoke out a lot about the presence of a functional human resources treatment though and even though I department and 10 women specifically was the one being mistreated at the stated that there was no reliable system for employees to report conflicts without end of the day, I not only lost my job the fear of retribution. As a staffer on a but he spoke so poorly of me to my 2016 Republican presidential campaign next boss, that it made him not want described: to hire me. That guy put me through the ringer. I'm convinced that's why I “Thinking back also, no, I don’t feel like there was treated so poorly.” was a place I could have gone….I felt In lieu of strong human like I would have resources departments been retaliated that could address issues against, and I such as these in an would have just institutionalized and clear been fired if I complained.” way, women at times turned to the legal system, where they As a result, one theme that faced barriers to accountability resonated across ten interviews is that given the financial, emotional, and career women often kept silent given their fear costs of suing. of retaliation or backlash from higher- ups. Women we spoke to described the Avoiding and ignoring issues: Eight women potential consequences of reporting we interviewed had witnessed and/or workplace issues, including salary cuts, experienced several types of explicit spiteful treatment, a ruined reputation, or inappropriate behavior, ranging from burning bridges that limit the possibilities verbal abuses of power to offensive for future work. As a digital staffer for remarks made by male staffers. They also Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential stated that most of the instances were campaign pointed out, “you don’t want to simply not reported given the lack of be the person that shakes things up.” support from human resources and already-hectic campaign schedules. One digital staffer on a 2012 presidential Instead, women typically confided in campaign described the very real friends or female colleagues, or, as a consequences for her career that she digital staffer working for Hillary Clinton’s experienced, for instance, when she 2016 presidential campaign related, spoke out about mistreatment while internalized their thoughts and emotions: working at a political consultancy after the campaign:
67 was sort of like this mentality that it I think within the doesn't matter what's going on. We campaign there was have an election to win. I don't wanna speak for other women, but I sort of like this can 100% see if a woman had an mentality that it issue as far as sexual harassment or unfair work hours or anything, doesn't matter what's which all of the hours were unfair. You all are working for a common going on. We have an goal, and that was to get him election to win.” elected, and to win. Everyone seemed to be sort of addicted to that.” “ “I only had a few jobs and most of them are crazy Another reason female staffers avoided lifestyle campaigns. This isn't a reporting inappropriate coworkers was normal corporate office. Lines are due to the tight-knit nature of campaigns. blurred where jokes are taken. It's a When a staffer on a 2016 Republican matter of, "Oh, that was a weird primary bid was approached about an thing for her/him to say to me. That offensive racial remark a male co-worker was inappropriate," and just paying made to her female colleague, she attention to myself and my feeling of wanted to stand up for her, but felt she if I feel something is wrong, which had to be careful about who she reported I've gotten better at. I still see things the incident to: and I have to decide, do I want to make a stink about it or do I need to “It’s such a close-knit environment. let it go?” If you go out and complain or report anything, it’s kind of like you have a As detailed above, campaigns are a target on your back. If you make a complaint, you’re out of the game. unique working environment because The problem is when you're in this everyone knows there is a clear end date position, these guys are paying your in sight. Coupled with the mission-driven salary. I heard someone say once, nature of the work, staffers often used ‘Don't bite the hand that feeds you.’ If these factors to justify the long hours, you complain and then they can fire missed vacations, and personal health you for any reason. Then you don't have a job, right? What are you sacrifices. Unfortunately, women reported supposed to do?” that this also extends to ignoring sexism or abusive behaviors in the workplace. As Meanwhile, one state deputy digital a digital staffer on Mitt Romney’s 2012 director on Clinton’s 2016 campaign said presidential campaign related: a campaign manager on a Democratic congressional campaign she worked for would consistently hit on female staffers as young as 20. While it was an open
68 secret she discussed with many of her no women at that firm.’ You would colleagues, the staffer did not face acknowledge it, but in informal consequences because he was close to friend groups, nothing too formal or the candidate: you just know who the bad guys are or the creepy guys are. You just look “There were a lot of occasions out for each other and tell each where I would overhear some of other to stay away. You don't have it them talking about how they were registered in any public way.” Snapchatting with him in the middle of the night and just all kinds of However, looking back on their campaign things that were super inappropriate experiences, nine of the women we given that he was the campaign interviewed regretted not reporting or manager, and they were field doing more about the inappropriate organizers and fellows.” behavior they witnessed. As one senior digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Instead of reporting issues to human presidential campaign described: resources or a senior staffer, ten women cited that it’s typically more common to “You might all acknowledge that this warn female friends and colleagues to dude is creepy and yeah, you don't avoid the problematic co-worker. As one really want to be alone with him and senior-level digital staffer who worked on so your male colleagues will help Clinton’s 2008 and 2016 campaigns ensure that you're not alone with related: that creepy dude, but neither of you are reporting that guy to anybody, so “You might say, ‘Oh that firm, they're you're both just as culpable because a bunch of chauvinistic pigs,’ or you neither of you are doing anything.” might say, ‘Oh that firm is...there are
69 RECOMMENDATIONS
Someone basically made like a really crude comment...saying I could essentially grab her ass, and still not get fired…. And I remember us being told...we don't want to bring more press to this. Which we were like ‘okay.’ I think in general, honestly my impression was there were not a lot of HR processes that were established, and not just for harassment type of things, but for other things.” “ Senior state data staffer for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign
70 Introduction create more deliberate hiring processes designed to achieve gender equity and diversity more broadly, giving women
more opportunities to enter the field. We asked our interviewees explicitly how Meanwhile, enforcing accountability, both campaigns could achieve more gender- through stronger HR departments and inclusive workspaces and what advice other institutionalized means, would help they have for women entering the field. ensure robust reporting mechanisms and We ended up with a number of themes enforce clear consequences to root out regarding what women in political misconduct. Formal and informal technology can themselves do to address networking events for women would the representation and inclusion barriers create more channels of communication, that women in the field face, and what helping to root out problems before they campaigns can do to work towards occur. gender equity.
In short, our interviewees argued that we One central idea that emerged is of can recode the boys’ club, but it will women helping women in an intentional require a lot of hard work. way. Women in leadership positions, in particular, can promote women’s voices Women in leadership helping women: One in office culture, help to combat the toxic recommendation in particular echoed elements of bro culture and hold men throughout our interviews — the need for accountable, work to ensure that credit is women to help women. And, our fairly recognized among campaign interviewees argued that women need to hierarchies, and support the careers of be intentional about the ways they help new generations of female staffers other women whether they seek to rectify getting their start. Regardless of their problems with representation, career stage or position, women can inclusiveness, or accountability. create strong networks to help them navigate things such as salary As discussed in earlier sections, our negotiations and reporting, find interviewees argued that women in employment on campaigns, and promote leadership positions have many unique their careers and work. Women can also opportunities to help other women in the validate one another, instilling confidence field of political technology. Our in the face of slights and gendered interviewees suggested that women in stereotypes of technical competence. positions of power can insist on hiring
practices that make an intentional effort The burden of promoting representation, to achieve diversity. They can work to inclusiveness, and accountability does not combat unhealthy work environments and rest on the backs of female staffers alone. practices on campaigns. They can As we discussed earlier, male allies must prioritize women’s voices being included use their already recognized voices to in meetings. They can ensure credit is promote those of women and work to given internally when it is due and call out ensure representation through hiring and inappropriate comments and aspects of promotion. Campaigns themselves must bro cultures that penalize women. They
71 can support women when they experience campaign in 2016 explains this extremely harassment or inappropriate behavior well: and help them hold perpetrators accountable. Moreover, women can “I think the way you do it is, for lack actively seek out other women for new of a better word, sort of forming the opportunities on campaigns and work to ‘young woman's club.’ By giving promote the careers of those younger each other the kinds of support that than them. men have enjoyed since the beginning of time. I think by really For example, one veteran of both Obama’s being supportive of each other, and Clinton’s 2016 campaigns described giving each other opportunities, her own attempts to be intentional about imparting as much wisdom as you how she was promoting equity on possibly can to women coming into campaigns and in political tech more your field. I think that this is one generally: subtle way that you start to get around this thing. I “Like, when I I mean not everything mean not everything is a have the ability is a revolution. revolution. Sometimes to do it: making it's just doing what you sure you create a Sometimes it's just can to help the other safe place to doing what you can to women around you.” talk. If they get interrupted, help the other women Even more, our calling it out. If around you.” interviewees argued they haven’t that it is particularly spoken up in a important for women, meeting, directly calling on them to and men, with a commitment to equity to do so. If you are working on be in a campaign’s leadership. And, these something and“ you need a partner to men and women need to make a basic help you do it, intentionally going to commitment to not tolerate inappropriate them first...It was day by day, what’s behavior. For example, one senior state the series of things we can do to digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 make sure people feel comfortable presidential campaign stressed the and strengthen their position in the importance of leaders’ commitment to room...I wish we were all more equity and inclusiveness to setting the intentional about this.” expectations for the entire organization:
As this woman advocates, those who are “I think the thing is like, this is really further along in their careers and in a top down kind of thing. If you have positions of power should take an active organizers who are the bottom rung role in intentionally helping women, and of an organization trying to elect the those who are younger and less president, and they are sexist to experienced should pay it forward as they their fellow organizers or their follow in their footsteps. A director on a volunteers or what have you, that’s Republican presidential primary like a top down issue where their
72 boss is probably doing it, and then are relatively informal and often among that person’s boss is probably doing friends. it, and that person’s boss is probably doing it. The problem is we need to For example, women can rely on their not have these people at the tippy networks to help them navigate tippy top of the organization uncertainty in their professional lives. exhibiting just horrible behavior When dealing with tough aspects of their because whether we like it or not, jobs, such as conversations about salary that kind of thing trickles down and or a difficult boss, several interviewees sets an example and makes recalled the importance of having a everyone else feel like acting like network of women from which they could that is okay.” learn or solicit advice. As a state data and analytics director on the 2016 Clinton Thirty-two of our interviewees argued that campaign said: having women in senior positions helped reduce sexism in the workplace. Having “[Watching] women who are more women in leadership positions and better advanced in their careers navigate represented within the ranks of staffers struggles I haven't had to deal with can create new norms of behavior that has been really helpful. There were challenge the toxic elements of bro so many discussions on salary culture detailed above. As a senior negotiations ages before I was really veteran of Democratic campaigns during in a place to be able to do that, so by the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles related: the time I was in those roles, I had seen it laid out and I had seen “When women are in positions of people offer advice on what they power they call bad behavior out, went through.” they make sure women have room to talk in a discussion and they help Interviewees also stressed the other women realize they can get to importance of the information they often that position. The problem is that gained from their networks; for example, women being in these positions is as detailed above, the ways that friends rare.” would tell friends to steer clear of certain firms that they knew had bad reputations. Strong networks of women: The women we Another benefit of these networks for the interviewed recommended that women women involved in them is having a group starting out in the field of political tech, or of women who will promote their who are less-established in their careers, achievements and recommend them for build a network of supportive peers that jobs. As previously discussed in detail, they can turn to for advice, to promote some women are more reluctant to self- their accomplishments, and to further promote, especially in contrast to their each other’s careers. In these networks, male colleagues. Hence, interviewees there is often a source of comfort in cited that women can take it upon shared experience, and unlike more themselves to highlight the formal mentorship roles, these networks accomplishments of the female colleagues in their networks. A former
73 Obama 2012 and Clinton 2016 staffer said senior veteran of Democratic campaigns she has a group of girlfriends that will during the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles always share each other’s pieces on described: social media and flag jobs for one another if they know of an organization that is “A lot of the women that I know are hiring. As a senior digital staffer for in either...they're all in politics, but Clinton in 2016 recalled: they're in slightly different versions of that than what I do. And so great. “When I was doing my So you want to go in nonprofits? grad school Well, I have a friend who runs program, I was this nonprofit and another one very much who's worked for a ton of aware of how them and knows a bunch of men and funders, and how can I women really connect people?...I just think talk differently we find it helpful to do what about the work wasn't always done for us, that we were but at least we had peers. doing. We were And to try and do that and be all doing really more deliberate about it.” cool work and really ‘cutting edge’ work, and I Validation and self-confidence: started to notice that the men were Networks of women also work to instill much faster at tooting their own self-confidence in their members. A horn than the women were, and that former Clinton 2016 staffer argued for the that would lead them to these importance of validation to furthering opportunities that we weren’t being women’s work and careers: given. They were tweeting about all of their things and posting it “There was an Onion story a few everywhere, and we were just like, years ago that was ‘women get ‘Oh, it’s not finished,’ or, ‘Oh, it’s this.’ together for drinks to validate the So we started doing this informal shit out of each other.’ And I have a thing where I’d be like, ‘Okay, what wonderful group of female friends are you working on this week?’ With that...who are all women in powerful the women, at the school. ‘Okay, positions in different places, but we you’re working on this? Okay, cool. do that. We validate the shit out of I’m gonna talk about it in this thing, each other. These are people who I’ll tweet it for you and then you can when they're talking to me say, ‘Oh, retweet it and then the next.’ Helping here's how you could deal with this’ each other toot our own horns” or ‘Here's what you could do with it.’ ‘Here's a way that you're not Others echoed these sentiments, standing up for yourself enough, go discussing how important networks are to out there and do it.’ And I do the helping women find employment in the same thing for her, because it's political space more generally. As a easier to talk to someone else and
74 give them the good advice that you space where women feel like they don't always take.” do belong is important.”
Validation helps women believe in Strong validation from other women can themselves and their abilities. Several create the internal self-confidence interviewees said that there is a culture of necessary to navigate male-dominated self-doubt that needs to be overcome for environments. A state data and analytics many women in political tech. And, self- staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 confidence is something that can be presidential bid offered the following socially produced on campaigns and advice to women seeking careers in within networks. Interviewees argued that political tech: women in the field should actively work to empower other women, helping to build “Be confident in your skills, and your their self-confidence and offering social abilities and what you can do. support, whether those Because, I think, often, women tend women are their to doubt themselves a lot, and I colleagues or know I do, especially. prospective political We validate the shit out So, when I was tech career hopefuls. coming onto the Making the field more of each other. These are analytics team, I was welcoming for women will people who when they're worried that my help boost their skills wouldn’t be up confidence, and women talking to me say, ‘Oh, to par. That I didn’t can do this by clearly here's how you could deal know enough about conveying that their data analytics female colleagues deserve with this’ or ‘Here's what technology as some to be in the positions they you could do with it.’ of the other people hold. As a state digital did. As some of the staffer on Hillary Clinton’s“ ‘Here's a way that you're other men, in 2016 presidential not standing up for particular, did. But, campaign stated: even if I didn’t, I was yourself enough, go out able to pick it up “I think really there and do it.’ fairly quickly, I think. empowering women And I think make an to make sure that important they know there is an opportunity contribution.” for them to apply and they do deserve to be there, and I think the In terms of being more confident, a senior keyword there is ‘deserve’. I think digital staffer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 that women so often feel like they presidential campaign emphasized the don’t deserve to be in a space or that importance of women always believing in their voice won’t be able to be loud their capacity to learn new things, and enough to be heard by others. So I working to expand their technical skills think that really working to create a and education throughout the course of their careers:
75 in their own willingness, and women’s “I think that knowledge is willingness in general, to speak up in their empowering, I think it helps you professional lives given the MeToo have confidence when you do movement. As a senior digital staffer on encounter those situations where the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential you have the difficult boss, or you campaign related: have a team of 10 men and just you. If you know what you're talking “Before MeToo, but certainly with about, not just from a policy that, I would argue that more and standpoint, but from a technology more women are not afraid to speak standpoint, I think it helps you be out or to call bullshit on something, respected, stay the course, and just and so I think with more and more build better tools.” women pursuing careers in these fields, there's also power in In terms of advice to young women numbers and more people, if they starting out their careers, a number of our feel that something's unfair or interviewees stressed how important self- biased, they only over time have confidence is. As two senior veterans of gotten more and more confidence Democratic campaigns during the 2008, that they should speak out, they can 2012, and 2016 cycles described: speak out. They'll be supported if they speak out.” “Just learn as much as you can. Don’t take shit from anybody. I mean Finally, women talked about the need to that’s really it, honestly, those are change representations of who belongs in the two big things. Stay positive...At the tech sector and get involved in the end of the day no one should promoting women in tech-related fields. treat anybody differently because of As one senior state level data and their gender, race, sexual analytics staffer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 orientation, disability status, presidential campaign related, this needs anything like that. And just stick to to happen far afield from just political your guns.” tech:
“Be confident, more than anything. “We need to change the concept in Don't be afraid to ask questions. which we have these images of San There's people who will help. Also, Francisco, Mark Zuckerberg, walk in knowing that sometimes Facebook culture of all just white you're going to be the only woman in males…. Having and investing in the room and just own that, because mentorship programs with young we've all been there.” girls who have an interest in science for them to know: don't get Confidence can go a long way, especially discouraged by your male if women feel supported — if they do, our counterparts. You do you. You rock interviewees cited that women are more what you're doing and continue and likely to stand up for themselves. Several to do that in the future.” interviewees spoke about the recent shift
76 and addressing issues of bias and gender imbalance. But that’s way …don't get discouraged too late! You have to really, by your male deliberately think about this when you’re building a team.” counterparts. You do you. You rock what Senior leadership play an important role in this, which is why it is important to hire you're doing and and promote women into positions of continue and to do that power. As a state digital staffer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign in the future.” argued “Part of it is, like I said, hiring the right people at the upper levels, because “ those are the ones that really tell you to Deliberate hiring: Our interviewees related branch out and do something that nobody that the two most important things that has ever done before, etc.” As one senior campaigns can do to further gender staffer on the 2016 Clinton campaign equity in political tech is embrace more described her own department that she deliberate hiring and promotion practices worked to staff, it featured both diversity and create real accountability and, as a consequence of this, awareness mechanisms. Achieving representation of gender-related issues that arose in the and inclusion on campaigns and in workplace: political tech more generally is premised on making a deliberate effort to hire and “On top of it, the team that we promote women. Across our interviews, it brought together was, a majority of was clear that a diverse campaign staff is the team leads, across the not something that happens on its own. It [redacted] team, were all women, must be actively constructed by which also, I think, just led to us intentional hiring practices established by being particularly conscious about campaign leadership. As a senior staffer gender issues and it certainly meant on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign that we talked about them very expressed, campaign staff should be openly. We thought about them a lot intentional in the earliest stages of an as the media and the campaign electoral bid about hiring a diverse group played out. We were very aware of of people: when gender stereotypes were happening, we’re trying to identify “I think a big, big part of that them, trying to be mindful of them. I [diversity] is in the hiring process. I felt like actually the gender dynamic, think it’s easy on a campaign, we had a very, largely female team especially on a digital team where and I will say, I felt we hired, over things are moving so quickly, to the course of the campaign, a lot of think well, we just have to get younger people who particularly everyone in here and then we were really good at speaking out if can...once we’ve hired people, we they felt like the situation wasn’t fair can start solving these problems or if there was bias at play in some
77 way, or they felt they were being hiring and promotion to ensuring mansplained to.” institutionalized reporting mechanisms for workplace issues. A candidate’s vision for her or his staff can also shape the composition of a In the commercial sector, for instance, HR campaign’s staffers. A common theme departments serve a defined function that across our interviews was that the Clinton includes the supervision of hiring, firing, campaign’s comparative gender equity payroll, and other employee practices to was different from other campaigns these ensure the organization is following both women had worked on, and it offered a the law and a set of defined, codified, and model for intentionality in hiring to fair procedures. Yet, across our achieve diversity. Indeed, this was echoed interviews, women pointed to a lack of in our quantitative results, although a well resourced, clearly structured, and common sentiment was also that this formalized HR departments on a diverse apparent diversity masked the fact that array of campaigns. More formal the campaign was also dominated by oversight would have been beneficial for senior male staffers at the highest levels. women reporting harassment to their superiors or HR, to ensure standards and Finally, it matters how a campaign fairness in hiring and firing, to provide a institutionalizes the hiring process. way to hold those in positions of power Diversity and inclusion can be a more accountable, and to preventing retaliation deliberate and institutionalized part of the against whistleblowers. If HR hiring process. As a senior digital staffer departments had more resources, on the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential structures, formalized roles, and visible campaign described, a member of the HR presences on campaigns, workplace team regularly talked with staffers about conflicts and dynamics may be mediated setting diversity goals and evaluated how in a more equitable way. they were progressing towards them. As this staffer argued, Even without a formal HR department, there are other ways to ensure greater “It felt like we were just really in an accountability on campaigns. Having a environment that valued diversity. designated officer to adjudicate or When you talk about gender, I think intervene in workplace disputes, not only did we have individuals to appointed directly by the candidate, could who it was really important to, so mitigate the likelihood of conflicts of they were advocates for it, but then interest and reprisals. If the adjudicator the campaign to set up a structure, cannot be fired by campaign staff, they also to be supportive of it.” will likely be more independent, impartial, and ultimately consequential in ensuring Accountability mechanisms: Finally, one of workplace fairness. As one senior staffer the biggest issues with campaigns is the on a 2016 Republican primary campaign lack of robust human resources suggested: departments or other formal accountability mechanisms that could “There has to be some sort of promote everything from fairness in accountability held upon these
78 people making the decisions…. Every support, mentoring, and networking. campaign should have an There are a number of potential ombudsman - and most importantly, advantages to these more formal and someone who has NO political informal discussion spaces, including the motives. This should be someone opportunity to create channels of who is an independent outsider who communication between directors and can review complaints so they can lower-level staffers, helping to make the be fairly heard. I think it should be former aware of issues before they turn someone who has never worked in into crises and conflict. Women on the political industry and who will different teams in the campaign would have no problem determining fair have the opportunity to meet and create protocols, even if these decisions relationships with peers, and in the could hurt the candidate's chances process, find potential support and allies. of winning…. The ombudsman should make it clear that nobody is above harassment or wrongful procedures. Give examples of how Every campaign people in power ARE held should have an accountable.” ombudsman - and Women in our interviews also sought most importantly, more opportunities to voice complaints someone who has NO and discuss workplace issues. Women suggested that campaigns are more political motives.” equitable when they create both formal and informal groups or meetings for women to discuss common issues they face, which also double as a source of “
79 CONCLUSION
Political tech marks the unique help women on campaigns and in their intersection of two very different fields. careers through validation and promotion, Applying tech to politics has not only helping to create more self-confidence changed the organization, content, and among women to speak up and make strategies of campaigns, it has presented their voices heard and call out misconduct new opportunities for women to get that is not conducive to respectful and fair involved in the electoral process — and working environments. As women recode along with that, new barriers. the boy’s club, bro culture should also be reset, from inappropriateness in the The challenge of representation for workplace to erasing practices such as women in political tech is hard to ignore. mansplaining, taking undeserved credit, As our quantitative findings revealed, and double standards relating to how there are disparities in the hiring of women should behave at work and women into political tech positions across manage their teams. electoral cycles, campaigns, parties, and roles. These disparities are, in part, the In an ideal world, we would have little product of the unique nature of need for accountability. Until then, campaigns, and also reflective of however, campaigns can create stronger entrenched sexism and gender accountability mechanisms to ensure stereotypes. More deliberate and hiring, firing, and promotion are fair, intentional hiring and promotion by people are performing in their jobs and campaigns can offer immediate and being evaluated fairly, and women in practical steps towards addressing these particular do not have to fear being problems — and by proactively seeking retaliated against if they speak out. out more diverse staffers, campaigns Women in leadership roles and their male potentially will become more meritocratic, allies can work to change campaign inclusive, and, we believe, organizationally culture, including advocating for women and electorally effective. to be more vocal about the problems they experience. Staff members should not be An inclusive environment in political tech afraid to shake an unfair and ineffective on campaigns will mean valuing input system up — this is a key part of the from all staff members, including women. recoding project, after all. Mentorships and strong networks can
80 APPENDICES
Quantitative Methods
Quantitative Data such as the gender and political party of employment for each staffer. Coders then identified the staffer’s employment
history specific to presidential campaigns, The quantitative research presented in including the election cycles and this report focuses specifically on hiring candidates for which the staffer worked patterns for political tech staffers as well as the total number of campaigns employed by U.S. presidential campaigns worked. Staffers were then coded for the from 2004 to 2016. Using data from presence of director-level or higher “Democracy in Action,” which organizes positions on presidential campaigns as a public data on campaign staffing, one of sign of leadership or promotion within the the authors compiled a list of all staffers campaign; when coding this variable, who either worked in campaign divisions coders were instructed to be as inclusive dedicated to technology, digital, data, or as possible, although we drew the line at analytics or who had these words in their ‘director’ (i.e.: no deputy director level titles from the 2004, 2008, and 2012 positions were included.) presidential cycles. To supplement the Finally, coders assessed whether staffers 2004 to 2012 data of 629 staffers, we who worked on a 2016 presidential later compiled and added the same data campaign served in roles in digital/social for the 2016 presidential cycle, leading to media, data, technology, or analytics a dataset of 995 total staffers. The dataset divisions (if applicable) based on divisions also contains staffers’ complete and titles denoted by campaign on employment biographies from publicly p2016.org. If the role was not listed on the available websites. campaign’s organizational chart on this site, it was not coded as a part of these Variables and Coding four divisions. Coding of divisions reached 99% simple agreement and Krippendorff’s Procedure alpha of .82 but only accounted for 29% of the full dataset, most of which fell within ‘digital/social media’; therefore, the variable was removed from quantitative Each of the eight undergraduate analysis. researchers involved in the quantitative analysis coded 100 unique units for the Similar to Kreiss (2016), in the interest of full study and 100 units for the intercoder being as inclusive as possible, we coded reliability test. Coding began with the organizational founders as staffers who recording of fundamental information indicated their titles on LinkedIn or other
81 publicly available sources as “founder,” analytics. These interviews were all “founding partner,” or “principal.” conducted from January-April 2018 with Meanwhile, we also accounted for some the exception of three pilot interviews staffers founding multiple firms or groups which took place during the fall of 2017 to of individuals co-founding firms by train the undergraduate researchers on calculating the number of unique qualitative interview methods. In addition, organizations founded as well as the all of the undergraduate researchers had number of founders following a to observe at least one interview with the presidential campaign. lead researcher (Daniel Kreiss) before conducting their own interviews in teams of two or three students. Reliability During the spring semester 2018, we worked to identify contact information for
all of the women in our dataset to invite Eight coders were comprehensively them to participate in the study. We were trained in independently coding all 995 able to identify contact information for units in the dataset. After coders approximately 172 women in the dataset, completed training, a subgroup of the and of them we were able to conduct main study data – 100 units, or 10% of the forty-five interviews. Given the potentially dataset – was selected for reliability sensitive nature of these interviews, and testing using sampling theory and the likelihood that participants would guidance from Lacy et al. (2015). Using address themes that affected future Krippendorff’s alpha, intercoder reliability employment, all participants were was assessed, with all variables reaching granted confidentiality and information acceptable levels of alpha: gender (.83), was reported only using general party (1.0), director-level (.74), number of descriptors of roles on presidential campaigns (.92), 2000 campaigns (.98), campaigns. This research was approved 2004 campaigns (1.0), 2008 campaigns by the University of North Carolina at (1.0), 2012 campaigns (.90), and 2016 Chapel Hill’s Institutional Review Board. campaigns (1.0). Average pairwise We made attribution reporting decisions percent agreement ranged from 88% to in terms of campaigns these women 100% for all variables, with six variables worked on and their roles within them reaching at least 98% simple agreement. with attention to whether information would breach their confidentiality. In a number of cases, campaigns had so few Qualitative Methods women, or so few women in particular roles, that it was impossible to report specific campaigns or organizational This report is animated by interviews the roles. In these cases, we opted to provide research team conducted with forty-five only party and electoral cycle data. In the women who worked in U.S. presidential end, we spoke with forty-five women who politics between the years of 2004-2016 worked on twelve different presidential in the areas of technology, digital, data, or campaigns during the 2008, 2012, and 2016 cycles. These campaigns were
82 George W. Bush 2004, Jeb Bush 2016, had at least three separate analyses given Chris Christie 2016, Hillary Clinton 2008 the lead researcher read every one), and 2016, John Edwards 2004 and 2008, generating themes and sub-themes and Rudy Giuliani 2008, John McCain 2008, attendant quotes for each. The lead Barack Obama 2008 and 2012, and Mitt researcher then developed a spreadsheet Romney 2012. of themes and sub-themes inductively developed from the transcripts, which the The research team developed a common rest of the research team also populated. interview protocol that asked general The entire research team then met for an questions about women’s organizational hour to collapse these down into four experiences working on campaigns, their main themes and 47 sub-themes, which reception and treatment on campaigns, the team then wrote up with attendant the attitudes and behaviors of male quotes illustrating these themes and colleagues, experiences with gender bias checked the frequency of in the interview and sexual harassment or more broadly transcripts. In the course of crafting this times when workplace conditions made report, we further collapsed and them uncomfortable, and their careers in recombined these themes and the field in terms of mentors they have subthemes, resulting in the final had and opportunities for advancement organization of the report around and entrepreneurship. We also representation, inclusiveness, and specifically asked, given the quantitative accountability, in addition to findings, about what would be different recommendations for addressing about campaigns with greater gender challenges in each domain. equity in terms of hiring and workplace culture, as well as any recommendations The research team made the decision to they had to work towards these things. approach the findings through the lens of These interviews were semi-structured, the overlapping themes that emerged however, often proceeding from asking from the interview data regarding the women about the chronological arc of workplaces that women encountered, their careers and campaign experiences, regardless of the specific campaigns they which offered us the opportunity to learn worked on. The difficulties of drawing firm about things we did not anticipate going conclusions about specific campaigns into the study. Interviews, on average, was apparent early on in the interviews, lasted approximately an hour, with a few as women working on the same campaign proceeding to take significantly longer. at times had very different experiences depending on their roles or bosses. At the To analyze the data, all of the researchers same time, we wanted to be careful about wrote theoretical memos after each drawing any explicit or implicit interview took place and was transcribed. comparisons between campaigns based The research team then met for one hour- on incomplete interview data. As such, we long session to sketch out initial themes focused here on the themes that emerged that inductively emerged through analysis in common across these interviews. This of the data. Each member of the research makes the report less about 'who did team then chose twelve transcripts to what better' and more about 'what can we inductively analyze (so each transcript learn from the experiences of women on
83 campaigns regardless of candidate or context of the interview. Because the party, and what general conditions of interviews were semi-structured, and organization and culture produce more therefore allowed for considerable equitable work environments.' We believe dialogue between the interviewers and that this approach ultimately resulted in a the participants and as a result report that provides a clearer summation considerable variation in the specific of women’s experiences in the political questions asked, we report these technology domain and a more frequencies as general indications of how generalized set of recommendations for often a phenomenon came up in what should happen going forward. interviews, not as a definitive metric for how many women shared similar Throughout this report, we cite the thoughts. number of times across our interviews that women addressed the themes we are discussing. This frequency data reflects the total number of women who mentioned that theme, either in response to an explicit question or proactively in the
84 NOTES
1. This discussion is in Daniel Kreiss, Prototype Politics: Technology-intensive Campaigning and the Data of Democracy. Oxford University Press, 2016. We embrace the same terminology here.
2. For an excellent overview of women’s long history in technology, see Marie Hicks, Programmed inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost its Edge in Computing. MIT Press, 2017.
3. Aaron Blake, “Yes, Politics is Still Dominated by Old, White Men. Here’s Why.” The Washington Post, September 3, 2014. Online at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/09/03/why-politics- is-still-dominated-by-old-white-men/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3fe4ee646857
4. See Emily Chang, Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys Club of Silicon Valley. 2018. Penguin: New York. Moshe Y. Vardi, "How We Lost the Women in Computing." Communications of the ACM 61, no. 5 (2018): 9-9.; Rani Molla, “It’s Not Just Google — Many Major Tech Companies are Struggling With Diversity.” Recode, August 7, 2017. Online at: https://www.recode.net/2017/8/7/16108122/major-tech-companies-silicon-valley- diversity-women-tech-engineer; Daisuke Wakabayashi, “At Google, Employee-Led Effort Finds Men Are Paid More Than Women.” The New York Times. September 8, 2017. Online at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/technology/google-salaries-gender-disparity.html;
5. See, for instance, Sheen S. Levine and David Stark, “Diversity Makes You Brighter.” The New York Times. December 9, 2015. Online at: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/opinion/diversity-makes-you- brighter.html
6. George-Levi Gayle, Limor Golan, and Robert A. Miller. "Gender Differences in Executive Compensation and Job Mobility." Journal of Labor Economics 30, no. 4 (2012): 829-872.
7. For a previous use of this dataset and description of it, see Daniel Kreiss, Prototype Politics; Daniel Kreiss and Christopher Jasinski, "The Tech Industry Meets Presidential Politics: Explaining the Democratic Party’s Technological Advantage in Electoral Campaigning, 2004–2012." Political Communication 33, no. 4 (2016): 544-562.; Daniel Kreiss and Adam J. Saffer. "Networks and Innovation in the Production of Communication: Explaining Innovations in US Electoral Campaigning From 2004 to 2012." Journal of Communication 67, no. 4 (2017): 521-544.
8. Kreiss, Prototype Politics
9. For a study of how the culture of recruiting effects women’s participation in the tech industry see: Alison T. Wynn and Shelley J. Correll. "Puncturing the Pipeline: Do Technology Companies Alienate Women in Recruiting Sessions?." Social Studies of Science 48, no. 1 (2018): 149-164.
10. See “Women Candidates and their Campaigns,” Political Parity. Online at: https://www.politicalparity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Parity-Research-Full.pdf; Madeleine Kunin. Pearls, Politics, & Power: How Women Can Win and Lead. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2008.
11. Joan C. Williams, "The 5 Biases Pushing Women Out of STEM." Harvard Business Review (2015).
12. Nilanjana Dasgupta and Jane G. Stout. "Girls and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEMing the Tide and Broadening Participation in STEM Careers." Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences 1, no. 1 (2014): 21-29.
85 13. National Partnership for Women & Families, “America’s Women and the Wage Gap.” Online at: http://www.nationalpartnership.org/research-library/workplace-fairness/fair-pay/americas-women-and- the-wage-gap.pdf Research has shown that even when important variables like part-time working, industry, and occupation are taken into account, a statistically significant gender wage gap remains: Katie Meara, Francesco Pastore, and Allan Webster. "Is the Gender Pay Gap in the US Just the Result of Gender Segregation at Work?." (2017).
14. There have been a number of surveys of salaries in political tech on the Democratic side of the aisle. The “2017 Progressive Data, Analytics, and Technology Salary Survey” found that men and women made the same median salary (online at: https://www.crackthecode.io/salary2017).
15. For more on how a lack of women in top leadership affects promotions for women in the workplace see: Jessica A. Kennedy and Laura J. Kray. "A Pawn in Someone Else's Game?: The Cognitive, Motivational, and Paradigmatic Barriers to Women's Excelling in Negotiation." Research in Organizational Behavior 35 (2015): 3-28.
16. For a study about the barriers women face to obtaining leadership positions, known as the "glass ceiling effect," see: Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli. "Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership." Harvard Business Review 85, no. 9 (2007).
17. For a more detailed account of how a lack of recognition and shadowing of women’s accomplishments have perpetuated a masculine-associated conception of technology, see: Ruth Oldenziel, Making Technology Masculine: Men, Women and Modern Machines in America, 1870-1945. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2010.
18. One study of 240 Silicon Valley leaders reported that visibility of work was the number one factor leading to promotions. See Shelley Cornell and Lori Mackenzie. "To Succeed in Tech, Women Need More Visibility." Harvard Business Review. September 13 (2016).
19. For rates of ‘field-crossing’ from the tech industry and commercial sectors into presidential politics see Kreiss, Prototype Politics.
20. For more on the origins of the term "mansplaining" see: Anne-Charlotte Husson, "Feminist Thought and Online Lexical Creativity: the Case of ‘Mansplaining’." In Feminist Thought-Politics of Concepts. 5th Christina Conference on Gender Studies. 2013
21. One study found that in male-dominated fields, women increasingly initiate certain behaviors, like drinking, to be part of socializing situations with men where informal decision-making may occur: Gloria Messick Svare, Leonard Miller, and Genevieve Ames. "Social Climate and Workplace Drinking Among Women in a Male-dominated Occupation." Addictive behaviors 29, no. 8 (2004): 1691-1698.
22. For more on how stereotypical gender traits lead to perceived incongruence of leader role and gender role for women, see Gary N. Powell and Laura M. Graves, “Women and Men in Management.” Sage, 2003; Kim L. Fridkin and Patrick J. Kenney. "How the Gender of US Senators Influences People’s Understanding and Engagement in Politics." The Journal of Politics 76, no. 4 (2014): 1017-1031.
23. Amy S. Wharton, "The Sociology of Emotional Labor." Annual Review of Sociology 35 (2009): 147-165.
24. See Suw Charman-Anderson, Lauren Kane, and Al Meadows, "Championing the Success of Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, and Medicine: A Collection of Thought Pieces from Members of the Academic Community." VOCED. (2017).
86 25. Tony Lee, “HR Lessons from the Campaign Trail,” Society for Human Resource Management. Available online at: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural- effectiveness/pages/hr-lessons-from-the-campaign-trail.aspx
26. For Democracy in Action’s disclaimer about the data, see: http://www.p2016.org/parties/disclaimer10.html.
27. Daniel Kreiss, Prototype Politics.
28. Stephen Lacy, Brendan R. Watson, Daniel Riffe, and Jennette Lovejoy. "Issues and Best Practices in Content Analysis." Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 92, no. 4 (2015): 791-811.
87 RESOURCES
TheBridge: The Bridge is a network connecting tech, political & non-profit professionals from the Bay Area to DC. Resources include a weekly newsletter, an extensive job board, and profiles of its members. Additionally, it organizes networking and educational events at locations like Google and Microsoft.
https://www.thebridgework.com/
Better Brave: BetterBrave is combating sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace by providing resources, tools, and employment lawyers to targets. In short, they help connect the victim of ANY type of workplace harassment or aggression with any type of resource that is best for them.
https://www.betterbrave.org/
Futures Without Violence/Workplaces Respond: Futures Without Violence/Workplaces Respond is a national resource center that educates and builds collaborations among workplace and non-workplace stakeholders – employers, worker associations, unions, and anti-violence advocates – to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual harassment & violence, trafficking, stalking, and exploitation impacting the workplace.
https://www.workplacesrespond.org/
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Project Include: Project Include’s mission is to give everyone a fair chance to succeed in tech. We are a non-profit that uses data and advocacy to accelerate diversity and inclusion solutions in the tech industry.
http://projectinclude.org/
TIME'S UP: The TIME'S UP Legal Defense Fund provides subsidized legal support to those who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace. The organization works in partnership with the National Women’s Law Center.
https://www.timesupnow.com/
89 AUTHOR BIOS
Kirsten Adams is a doctoral student in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research explores the intersection of journalism and politics or political behavior, with a focus on the press and the presidency. Kirsten previously worked as an editor at Gallup after receiving her master’s degree in journalism from Arizona State University. Her prior work experience includes roles in reporting, editing, and corporate communications. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenleeadams/ Twitter: @thekirstenadams
Jenni Ciesielski is a junior from Weddington, NC double majoring in Reporting and Communication Studies. On campus, she serves on the 2018-2019 executive board of UNC Admissions Ambassadors and was previously an editor at The Daily Tar Heel. This summer, Jenni will be a communications interns with Project C.U.R.E., a nonprofit based in Denver, CO. After graduation, she aims to pursue a career in campaigning, eventually working in fundraising or opposition research for a presidential campaign. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jenninc Twitter: @jennicieski
Kate Frauenfelder is a senior from Durham, NC, double majoring in Public Relations and Public Policy. Kate’s interests in politics and communications led her to Washington, D.C. in 2017 where she interned for Hamilton Place Strategies and the National Governors Association. This spring, she interned in Governor Roy Cooper’s press office, where she enjoyed working to improve the state she grew up in. After graduation, she will join NextGen America as its state media manager in Nevada. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/katefrauenfelder Twitter: @kafrauenfelder
Emma Harrison is a Special Projects Coordinator at Echelon Insights, where she is responsible for assisting the team with data analysis and office management. In addition, Emma is responsible for a variety of tasks including analysis of survey and focus group data, crosstab development, social media content creation, and daily office maintenance. Emma is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she majored in Political Science and Public Relations. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacharrison/ Twitter: @emma_c_harrison
Brinley Lowe is a rising senior from Greensboro, NC double majoring in Strategic Communications and Political Science. As a senior writer for The Daily Tar Heel’s University Desk, Lowe covered political news. Most recently, she served on the Institute of Politics’ communications team, for which she wrote and edited the weekly student newsletter. This summer, Lowe is excited to intern at Real Facts NC, a left-leaning non-profit in Raleigh that holds state legislators accountable. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brinley-lowe/ Twitter: @brinleylowe
Meredith Martinez graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Media and Journalism where she majored in public relations and political science with a minor in hispanic studies. She has worked for Weber Shandwick’s New York City office where she gained extensive experience in research as she assisted the Director of Global Corporate Communications. This summer, she will be working in Corporate Security for International Justice Mission in Washington, D.C. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmartinez/ Twitter: @meredith_mar
Haley McDougal is a senior from Kings Mountain, NC. During her time at UNC, she majored in Public Relations and Political Science. After graduation, Haley will be pursuing a career in political communication by moving to D.C. and working with Eleison Group to connect candidates, businesses and nonprofits to faith-based and values-based voters. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/haleymcdougal/ Twitter: @haley_mcdougal
90 Gabrielle Micchia is a junior Public Relations and Political Science major from Wake Forest, North Carolina. This year she worked for a political consulting firm and public affairs firm. This summer she will be working at APCO Worldwide in New York doing public affairs and client services work. Last summer she interned at a financial services public relations firm in New York City. On campus, she has worked for The Daily Tar Heel and has interned at The UNC School of Media and Journalism’s Reese News Lab. After graduation, she aims to pursue a career in political communication or public affairs. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-micchia/ Twitter: @gabmicchia
Sam Paisley is a graduating senior who finds the nexus of politics and communications most invigorating. She is drawn to the dynamic environment of Capitol Hill, and after interning at the Senate last summer, she hopes to pursue a career in politics. On UNC’s campus, Sam works as the External Relations Chair for Admissions Ambassadors, in which she supervises the team that spearheads recruitment and publicity efforts. Her previous work experiences include interning at the NC Governor’s Office, CNN and The Times in South Africa. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapaisley/ Twitter: @sampaisley63
Sumner Park is a senior majoring in Political Science and Public Relations and minoring in Hispanic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over the past few summers, she interned for national media organizations including Washington D.C.’s TheDailyCaller.com and TheHill.com, where she has found her enthusiasm for multimedia and politics growing with every experience. She also pursued her own endeavors within the Journalism school, including an entrepreneurial venture she and a colleague brought to life; “The Sports Chaser.” LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumnerpark/ Twitter: @sumnerpark16
Meredith Randolph is a senior double majoring in Political Science and Peace, War and Defense with a concentration in intelligence and security as well as a minor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Meredith hopes to pursue a career with a government agency as a national security policy strategist or analyst and have a role in intergovernmental political communications throughout her career. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-randolph-a206a714b Twitter: @mere_randolph
Jordan Townsend is a senior from Durham, NC double majoring in Strategic Communication and Political Science. She has held several leadership positions through organizations on campus including the associate co-editor for the style team for UNC’s Coulture Magazine. She interned for the Link Group in Durham, NC after her sophomore year and August Jackson in Washington, D.C. after her junior year. Currently, she does social media marketing for rAVe Publications, the #1 AV news publication. She is interested in campaigns, strategy, women’s empowerment, law and marketing. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordantownsend6/ Twitter: @jtownsend6
Daniel Kreiss is Associate Professor in the School of Media and Journalism and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kreiss’s research explores the impact of technological change on the public sphere and political practice. In Taking Our Country Back: The Crafting of Networked Politics from Howard Dean to Barack Obama (Oxford University Press, 2012), Kreiss presents the history of new media and Democratic Party political campaigning over the last decade. Prototype Politics: Technology-Intensive Campaigning and the Data of Democracy (Oxford University Press, 2016) charts the emergence of a data-driven, personalized, and socially-embedded form of campaigning and explains differences in technological adoption between the two U.S. political parties. Kreiss is an affiliated fellow of the Information Society Project at Yale Law School and received a Ph.D. in Communication from Stanford University. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-kreiss-7187134 Twitter: @kreissdaniel
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