A Virginia Tech gender studies professor calls Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s ‘locker room’ talk horrendous – but she offers one upside. We’ve seldom seen gender play such a dominant role on the political landscape, says Virginia Tech’s Brandy Faulkner, a visiting assistant professor in political science.

Quotable

“When we are able to hear it, give it a name, and then draw conclusions about it, we chip away at the silence that stifles so many suffering voices,” says Faulkner. “We can always engage in conversations about what is acceptable and unacceptable, but that conversation is more meaningful when we have examples to discuss.”

“We have such a long way to go before female candidates are on equal par with male candidates in regard to media coverage and assumptions about ability.  It will be interesting to see whether the national discussion encourages or discourages women at the state and local level during subsequent elections.”

About Faulkner

Faulkner teaches courses in public administration, constitutional law, and the politics of race, ethnicity, and gender.

Schedule an interview

To secure a live or recorded video interview with Brandy Faulkner, contact Bill Foy in the Media Relations office at 540-998-0288. 

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