BY: Kate murray, summer 2021 student collaborator at power in place
It is widely recognized and accepted that there is a severe deficit of female political leadership in the United States. Despite comprising over half of the American population, the most recent figures put women’s representation in state and local governments at roughly 25 percent, on average. The statistics sink even lower at the federal level, as only 20 percent of Congressional seats are occupied by women. Lack of female representation in politics has always existed, but despite significant advances towards gender equality, women still struggle to enter the political arena. This cannot be attributed simply to women’s lack of ambition or interest in politics, but rather to the multitude of systemic barriers women continue to face in American society.
Surprisingly, the shortage of female political leaders has little to do with the general public not considering them electable. A large majority of the public — 75 percent — think men and women would be equally effective leaders, and this opinion is consistent across party affiliation. In fact, a report from the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance states women and men tend to win elections at roughly the same rate. The issue, then, is not that women are not seen as capable leaders by the American electorate, but rather that they don’t run in the first place.
Put simply, the social cost of pursuing a political career is much higher for women compared to men.
Women are subject to a higher level of scrutiny than their male counterparts: They must constantly engage in a balancing act of being assertive, but not to such a degree that the men in the room feel threatened. Their clothing often receives more public attention than their policy actions, and details of their personal lives, such as how they parent their children, are openly ridiculed. The appearance and behavior of women politicians must be impeccable in order to be taken seriously and accepted by their constituents and colleagues, especially those who are male. Women of color have an even more difficult time winning this game, as they are required to prove themselves capable leaders on account of their race as well as their gender. Considering how society treats powerful women, it is no surprise that many of them are hesitant to pursue political careers.
Molly Bangs, a contributor at the Century Foundation, echoes this sentiment. “Women are often discouraged early on from entering politics because they have a vague idea that running for office would be harder for them based on their gender,” she wrote, in a piece for the website in 2017.
Another significant reason women are underrepresented in politics is the lack of encouragement they receive from people in their personal lives, educational institutions and political actors. Whether implicitly or explicitly, family members, coworkers and teachers tend to push women away from largely male-dominated careers, especially if those careers would delay the process of getting married and starting a family. The political establishment also tends to shy away from women politicians, especially women of color. In a 2017 article for the Center for American Progress, senior fellow Judith Warner wrote about these political “gatekeepers” and how they often discriminate against racial and gender minorities, saying,. “Favored candidates tend to be familiar faces who will predictably uphold party interests and — above all — have easy access to money and the ability to devote considerable personal resources, including time, to their campaigns.”
In addition to the profuse amount of social stigma women face in political careers, they also have more systemic barriers to contend with.
The median wealth for women is significantly lower than that of their male counterparts, but this inequality is especially consequential for women in political careers. Warner speaks to this point in her article, writing, “Many local and state-level elected offices pay so poorly that it’s very difficult for people without deep pockets — or a high-earning spouse — to consider a career in politics.”
In other words, if they’re not wealthy or benefiting financially from a partner, having a political career is not sustainable for many women. Of course, these effects are compounded for women of color, for whom the wealth gap with white men is even more severe. Not only do women find careers in politics to be laden with sexism, the payoff may not even be substantial enough to have a decent standard of living.
It is clear women have the cards stacked against them when it comes to pursuing political careers. While challenging the systemic roots of sexism is a long uphill battle, individuals and institutions can take action to encourage young, budding political leaders. Colleges and universities can make targeted efforts to recruit women into political science, public policy and law programs. Family members and friends can be more intentional about encouraging and supporting young women who want to pursue political careers, even if doing so puts marriage and child-rearing on hold. This is where more diverse political leadership starts, as once women make the decision to run, the American electorate will propel them to victory.
Pull quote choices:
Women are subject to a higher level of scrutiny than their male counterparts: They must constantly engage in a balancing act of being assertive, but not to such a degree that the men in the room feel threatened.
Lack of female representation in politics has always existed, but despite significant advances towards gender equality, women still struggle to enter the political arena.
Not only do women find careers in politics to be laden with sexism, the pay off may not even be substantial enough for them to have a decent standard of living.
Kate Murray (she/her) is a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College double-majoring in Politics and Sociology. She is an opinion writer for the college’s newspaper and is involved in social justice activism, with a particular focus on gender inclusion and voting rights. As a summer intern for Power in Place, she co-facilitates the newsletter team and contributes to the blog.