What's in a Name
Lately, I’ve been thinking about women politicians and how they’re often called by their first names.
Think Hillary, Nancy, Geraldine and Kamala. Meanwhile, male politicians are more frequently referred to by their surnames, like Biden, Trump, Obama and Bush.
Then I noticed the same elsewhere. Take tennis, there’s Nadal, Federer and McEnroe, while women superstars are Serena, Martina and Billie Jean. Or in car racing, it’s not Mario or Patrick. It’s Andretti and Danica.
I looked further and realized how often great actors are simply called De Niro, Pacino and Brando. (Kind of sounds like a law firm, doesn’t it?) At the same time, often in the same conversation, it’s Meryl, Judi and Jodie.
Now and then acclaimed women are referred to by both their names, like Marie Curie, Emily Dickinson and Mary Cassatt. Still, it’s not their last names that define them like their male peers Darwin, Dickens and Degas. (Jeez, another law firm.)
In the arts, Picasso shares museum space with Frida. And in the sciences, Einstein, Hawking and Tesla share recognition with … well, the truth is that women scientists have rarely been given the notoriety they deserve, let alone becoming household names. A topic for another time.
This trend continues. The Mayo Clinic reports female doctors are twice as likely as male doctors to be called by their first name. And academia? According to Cornell University researchers, students were far more likely to call a male professor by only his last name. Further, research in the Psychology of Women Quarterly stated, “the probability of being addressed by title was significantly greater for male professors than female professors.”
Studies bear this out, showing that people are more than twice as likely to describe a male professional by their last name vs. a female professional. This was true in politics, science and literature. Further and importantly, those professionals called by their surname were believed to be more eminent and deserving of an award.
Simply put, this is another way our culture inequitably bestows a greater respect towards men. Not only does this translate into more confidence, promotions and prizes for men, it contributes to the continuing gender pay gap where women today earn 84 cents for every dollar a man makes. Spanning a 40 year career, that’s a loss of over $407,000 compared to her male counterpart, solely because she’s a woman. Income that could help her pay for education, health care and retirement. The wage gap for women of color is much worse, 56 to 70 cents for every dollar a man makes.
Sure, anyone can find exceptions to the above. Unfortunately, the overall result will be the same. The unconscious “lessening” of women. There are an untold number of women who are not treated the same as their male counterparts. Just like President Biden earned his title, so did Vice President Harris.
For her current campaign, Harris has embraced the use of her first name, Kamala. Countless candidates have done so. But we can’t forget that for many women, of all professions, it is not a choice. They are part of a system that reflects society’s biased norms in regards to gender and power.
In today’s news, Harris’ male opponent, who’s almost always called by his last name, continually mocks and mangles the Vice President’s first name, adding, “I couldn’t care less if I mispronounce it.” A clearly derogatory tactic, it’s a way to “other” Harris, to suggest she is less of an American and unworthy of the respect of her position as vice president.
Whether on the world stage or in our everyday lives, misogyny and bigotry is hard to stomach. One thing we can do is stay aware. Be mindful of how we address women in professional positions, especially if that differs in how we address their male counterparts.
In addition, during this campaign season, pay attention to the media. According to research across eight studies, pundits and commentators were more than twice as likely to use a last name when talking about a man than when speaking about a woman. This inequity is on top of the gendered derision and hostility women candidates usually face. For example, Hillary Clinton and the 2016 presidential election, she was scrutinized for her clothing, hair, ankles, voice and laugh. Needless to say, not one of these points were issues for her male opponent.
Sadly, I wonder how and if we can ever stop the incessant institutionalized sexism, discrimination and disrespect that plagues our country. Who knows, maybe it begins with a name.
IN MUSING by Carole Vasta Folley
has won awards from
The Vermont Press Association,
The New England Newspaper & Press Association,
and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.