Gender Gap In Politics

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One of the main purposes of the United States government is to make policy that is relevant and helpful to the people of the country. To this end, it is important that our leaders understand and reflect the values and concerns of the people they represent. It is important, therefore, that it is comprised of a diverse group of individuals to match the diversity of the nation’s population. It is concerning, then, that, despite the fact that women make up 52 percent of the population, they only make up 17-18 percent of the United States Congress. Not only are they underrepresented, but they also show lower interest in running for office to begin with compared to their male counterparts. It is important to address the causes of and solutions to this gender gap in political ambition and representation so that the government is more reflective of the people it is supposed to govern and therefore better able to tackle the issues of the day in a productive way. The gender gap in political ambition is a pervasive and persistent problem that has its roots partially in the differential coverage of appearance and character traits for women as opposed to political viewpoints for men in the media and the problem is also exacerbated by stigmas related to other identities women candidates have such as those related to their race, sexuality, or gender; the best way to bridge the gender gap in politics is with grassroots activism supported by political organizations and specific policies geared toward gender equality in the workplace and in representation, such as affirmative action.
The gender gap in political ambition is partially rooted in the double standards women face in the media, for example when covering political viewpoints. Researchers ...

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...at happen, it is ideal for the composition of congress to more accurately reflect the composition of the population of the country it governs. One of the best ways we as a country can achieve this is to get women more involved in politics so that roughly 50 percent of congress is female, as in the overall population, rather than only 20. It is clear from research that the best way to proceed toward more gender equality in government is to address the cultural double standards and biases present in society and the media as well as to address stigmas related to other identities and to aim for more policies that promote gender equality in the workplace as a whole. If we as a society can agree this is a goal worth striving for and attempt to make a government that more accurately reflects the will of the people, the country will inevitably become a much better place.

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