Ladies' Choice: Intersectional Linked Fate and Public Opinion Toward Women of Color in Politics

This article seeks to understand the public opinion formation among women of color in America. How do identity-based factors, such as linked fate with women of color (WoC), shape political evaluations? Expanding on social identity theory and intersectionality frameworks, we investigate the political influences of WoC identification and WoC intersectional linked fate. We argue that intersectional linked fate represents a deeper sense of shared experiences and interconnected outcomes across race and gender, making this both a conceptually distinct construct and a politically consequential extension of WoC identity. Further, we theorize that women of color’s perceptions of intersectional linked fate drive their cross-racial support for real-world WoC in politics. We analyze data from the 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey to test how intersectional linked fate correlates with evaluations of prominent WoC political figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Michelle Obama among Black, Latina, and Asian American women. Our findings reveal that intersectional linked fate has a stronger and more consistent influence on these political evaluations than either WoC identity or racial linked fate, fostering solidarity and support for WoC politicians across racial boundaries. The results highlight the critical role of intersectional linked fate in shaping public opinion with important implications for understanding future elections, especially as candidates, politics, and the electorate continue to diversify in the United States.