A woman campaigning for Congress has gone viral with a video of the comments and emails she receives that demonstrate misogyny in politics.
Cara Mund is running as an independent in North Dakota. Should Mund win, she would be the state’s first female member of Congress.
“Shining a light on what it’s like to be a woman running for office in a state dominated by male leadership,” the voiceover begins on Mund’s TikTok, which is set to Lesley Gore’s early feminist anthem, “You Don’t Own Me.”
@caramund You Don’t Own Me.
♬ You Don’t Own Me – Grace ft. G-Eazy
As the song plays, sexist comments and emails Mund has received flash past the screen.
“I don’t mind women running for office I just don’t like them voting,” one reads.
Others blast Mund for supporting reproductive freedom. Abortion is illegal in North Dakota.
A clip then plays of Mund implying that the misogyny extends to media coverage of her campaign. “Their headline, it’s always, ‘Miss America, Miss America.’ It’s never Harvard Law School grad,” she says.
Mund may be best known as 2018’s Miss America, but she’s also an attorney, a qualification that is arguably more relevant to her candidacy.
Continuing, Mund says that the sexism also plays out in comments about her age. Mund is 28. The Democratic candidate in 2020, she says, was two years younger than she is “and he was a male and he didn’t get this type of criticism.”
Various hateful and sexist comments and jokes flash past. “I’ve got something she can run for. It’s the kitchen. So she can make my dog Moses a turkey sandwich,” a commenter called Michael wrote to Mund.
A person called Don B said, “Well, it’s either she does that or OnlyFans.”
The video concludes with Mund speaking again. “I’m concerned. Especially as women trying to get into the arena, there are a lot of obstacles. We need women in these spaces because if you’re not at the table you’re going to be on the menu.”
Mund’s message resonated with women. Some said she’d inspired them to donate to her campaign. Others asked how they could volunteer.
As of this writing, the video has more than 300,000 views on TikTok, nearly 60,000 on Mund’s Twitter, and hundreds of shares on Facebook.
Thousands of women around the nation commented on Mund’s video.
“Yass Queen…!!! Supporting you from North Carolina!!” wrote one.
Another said, “Supporting you from Texas (aka Gilliad).”
“Strength! Can’t imagine the misogynist nightmare that must be North Dakota—go get ‘em!!!” tweeted @LLLMeyer.
Mund’s fellow North Dakotan women also weighed in.
“You are such an inspiration, Cara. Keep staying strong in your campaign, we’ll show them what a woman is capable of! Can’t wait to vote for you in the election,” said one.
