The Boundaries of “Women of Color”: The Political Implications of Non-Hispanic Whites’ Perceptions of Women of Color

Women candidates are increasingly referred to as "women of color." But who the public sees as women of color is unclear. We ask how non-Hispanic whites, who are still the largest voting group, perceive which racial/ethnic groups of women are included in the "women of color" group. We find heterogeneity in who white Americans believe are "women of color" – differences that are connected to political support for women of color candidates. We analyze how these views about the boundaries around women of color are informed by political party affiliation, as different ideas about who constitutes the "women of color" group are related to stereotypes and perceptions of group threat.