The article Sexual Slander against Women Politicians: A Case in Kerala by Dr Daigy Verghese, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Easwari School of Liberal Arts, examines how political masculinity responds to women’s presence in politics by analysing the sexual slandering of K. K. Shailaja during the 2024 parliamentary elections. It argues that such attacks rely on sexualised gender stereotypes that undermine women’s political competence and reinforce masculine norms of political authority.

Abstract:

How does political masculinity respond to female presence in politics? The article seeks to answer this by unpacking the discourse surrounding sexual slandering against K K Shailaja, Kerala’s previous health minister and electoral candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the 2024 Parliament elections. The case shows how sexualised gender essentialisations position women within a moral spectrum of gendered roles that range from reproduction to fulfilment of male desirability. The normalisation of “feminine ableness” evolved against the masculine benchmark of “political ability” and is delegitimised by sexualising women’s bodies through public reclamations of virile masculinity.

An explanation of your research in layperson’s terms:

The article examines how male-dominated political culture responds when women gain visibility and power in politics. It focuses on the sexual slander directed at K. K. Shailaja, a former health minister from Kerala and a candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the 2024 Parliament elections. Instead of critiquing her policies, opponents used gendered and sexualised attacks, reducing her to traditional stereotypes rather than recognizing her as a political leader. The article argues that such sexual shaming is used to undermine women’s credibility and reinforce masculine dominance in politics.

Practical implementation of your research or the social implications associated with it: 

This article explains how gendered and sexualised attacks are used to push women out of political spaces or damage their credibility. Identifying such a pattern can help political parties, media, and civil society organisations recognise sexual slander as a form of political violence rather than a political ‘strategy’. It highlights the need for stronger policies against online harassment, clearer legal consequences for defamatory and gendered abuse. These forms of harassment discourage broader female participation in politics and strengthen unequal power structures.

Future Research Plans:

Dr Daigy’s research focuses on gender and its intersections with multiple social categories, domains, and discourses- such as development, media, politics, and caste- within the context of Kerala. Her work explores how gender is articulated in social media discussions around the ideologies and discourses of nationalism, feminism, and political masculinity. Her later research focuses on gender and development, investigating how informal labor and family dynamics shape the everyday lives and well-being of women working from home.

The Link to the Article:

https://www.epw.in/journal/2026/8/insight/sexual-slander-against-women-politicians.html