Tolerating the trolls? Gendered perceptions of online harassment of politicians in Canada

Online harassment of politicians has become a major issue, but one that is particularly problematic for women politicians because of its potentially misogynistic tone. Despite increasing public attention to this issue, scholars cannot say with any authority how online harassment affects the decisions and behaviors of different types of candidates or what it means for candidate emergence. To explore perceptions of online harassment of Canadian politicians, this study draws upon interviews with 101 people from diverse genders, racial/ethnic identities, sexual orientations, and partisan affiliations. Findings indicate online harassment does not depress political ambition in Canada but it is a gendered phenomenon in that women are far more aware of this issue than men. It also shapes the experiences of candidates and officeholders, not least by fostering a hostile working environment that can affect their ability to do, or willingness to stay in, the job. Online harassment thus succeeds in making women feel they are in a hostile political environment even as it fails to deter them from engaging in politics. These findings demonstrate that social media has a gendered impact on democratic participation in Canada in the early 21st century.