Final answer:
The fact that 54 percent of women and only 41 percent of men voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 election illustrates the gender gap in politics, representing differences in political preferences between genders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fact that 54 percent of women and only 41 percent of men voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 election illustrates the gender gap.
The term 'gender gap' refers to the difference in preferences and behaviors between men and women in various contexts, including voting preferences. In the political arena, the gender gap often manifests as a variance in the percentage of men and women who support particular candidates or political parties. Since the 1980s, the United States has seen a growing gender gap in presidential elections.
This phenomenon became notably pronounced in the 1996 election and has continued to be a notable factor in subsequent elections, including the one in 2016, where Hillary Clinton garnered more support from women than Donald Trump did.
Several factors contribute to the gender gap in politics. Women's greater turnout rates and differences in political concerns, such as issues related to gender equality, child welfare, and education, often guide their electoral choices differently than men.