At least, in an ideal world, we'd evaluate candidates as individuals. Even Elizabeth Dole, who sometimes seemed to be running for role model instead of president, periodically acknowledged that people shouldn't vote for her simply because of her sex. But while advocates for female candidates routinely acknowledge that sex should not be a qualification for office, they expect and encourage female voters to put more trust in female candidates and feel better represented by them. Any woman running for office who suggests that, by virtue of her sex, she's particularly adept at forging consensus has waived the right to complain when reporters focus on her fashion sense. The inconsistent messages often generated by women's campaigns, however, are likely to reflect genuine confusion about sex and gender, rather than political hypocrisy.
Similar dissonance is evident among some professional feminists today.
Consider the White House Project, co-founded by Marie Wilson, president of the Ms. Foundation. So far, its primary initiative has been the conduct of a mock presidential election featuring only female candidates. The White House Project is painstakingly nonpartisan. But allusions to female solidarity and virtue underlie every fundraising appeal I've witnessed for this project. A series of taped interviews with international female leaders shown to prospective donors concludes with a tribute to the feminine graces from former Iceland President Vigdis Finnbogadottir, which might make Margaret Thatcher gag.