Some people blame identity politics for Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s loss in the presidential election. President-elect Donald Trump has sneakily practiced his own version of identity politics.
What Is Identity Politics?
By definition, identity politics are:
“Identity politics are broadly defined, but they typically involve an individual who bases his identity on social categories and divisions. Some examples are a feminist who always votes for female candidates regardless of policies, or a black person who primarily supports causes designed to empower the black community.”
Everyone has a different view of their identity. Some people base their decisions on their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and other traits. This often spills over into politics.
How Did The Candidates Use It?
The United States has become a very diverse nation, but how does that shape our politics? We should celebrate our differences and work to be a more inclusive country.
Hillary Clinton often mentioned specific minorities when speaking on the campaign trail. By speaking about certain groups, she alienated others. Some people have accused Clinton of practicing identity politics too much.
President-elect Trump played off of white resentment of these minorities. He also seemed to appeal more to working-class Americans… somehow. His divisive rhetoric and insults alienated minorities, but he somehow still won.
Trump Has His Own Identity Politics
At one of his rallies, Trump mentioned the fact that he won Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” award. He complained that it should’ve been called “Man of the Year.” They used to call it woman or man of the year until 1999.
He was preaching towards traditional gender roles. He even led the crowd in a cheer, getting them to boo “person” and applaud “man.”
There were women in the crowd cheering this alongside the men. They held up pink signs reading “Women for Trump.”
Somehow, he duped these people into voting for him.
https://youtu.be/RDQ7zxvRpBI
Featured image via YouTube Video.
