CNN deleted a “sexist” article that tied women’s political preferences to their hormonal shifts. Evidently, when ovulating, single women prefer more liberal candidates and policies:
The researchers found that during the fertile time of the month, when levels of the hormone estrogen are high, single women appeared more likely to vote for Obama and committed women appeared more likely to vote for Romney, by a margin of at least 20%, Durante said. This seems to be the driver behind the researchers’ overall observation that single women were inclined toward Obama and committed women leaned toward Romney.
Here’s how Durante explains this: When women are ovulating, they “feel sexier,” and therefore lean more toward liberal attitudes on abortion and marriage equality. Married women have the same hormones firing, but tend to take the opposite viewpoint on these issues, she says.
The reporter then dragged out some “experts” who had no background in either biology or psychology to discredit the finding:
“There is absolutely no reason to expect that women’s hormones affect how they vote any more than there is a reason to suggest that variations in testosterone levels are responsible for variations in the debate performances of Obama and Romney,” said Susan Carroll, professor of political science and women’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, in an e-mail.
Yeah, a gender studies professor is obviously qualified to give her opinion on a biological study…
Regardless, the creator of the “Girls” TV show, a homely, tattooed New Yorker named Lena Dunham, made a pro-Obama ad likening voting to having sex. She suggests that when it’s your “first time,” it should definitely be the right guy — the kind of guy who supports free birth control, liberal policies, etc.
Well, I don’t know whether Ms. Dunham was in heat when she filmed the ad, but it definitely lends some credence to the idea that sexual impulses have a strong effect on female voting behavior.
