The Underrepresentation of Women in United States Politics

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The Underrepresentation of Women in United States Politics

I. Introduction and Context

Women are numerically underrepresented in United States politics. Though people may see famous faces of women in politics around them, a mere 17 percent of leaders of the Federal government in the United States are women. Not only, at the Federal level are women underrepresented, but also at the state and local levels. Only in six states are there female governors, and members of city hall are predominately male in 92 out of the 100 largest cities in the continental U.S. Since the 1970’s the percentage of women in high political offices had been increasing, but in the last several election cycles there has been no net increase. The United States House of Representatives has plateaued in its percentage of female representatives and Senate suffered the first net decrease in the percentage of women serving since 1979. In terms of progress of women’s representation in politics, the United States is falling behind many nations. As of 2011, 90 nations have a higher percentage of women in office. (Lawless and Fox) Women in the United States have not achieved political parity, and are falling behind many nations in the election of women to office.

News outlets proclaimed 2008 to be the Year of Women. Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were both running high profile campaigns for Vice President and President respectively, and Nancy Pelosi was Speaker of the House. Many believed the political glass ceiling for women had been at the very least cracked, possibly shattered. But in hindsight it was the opposite of that. Both Palin and Clinton lost their political races, and, to some, became objects of national ridicule. These sexists’ attacks against both c...

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...d the media to focus more on their on appearance, personality, and family life, than the media focuses on their male counterpart. In turn, their political beliefs take a back seat to personality pieces, hindering their campaigns. Female candidates are then viewed less seriously as politicians, when their portrayal is so one-dimensional. Women don’t get the opportunity to engage in political discourse, when they have to spend time talking about their family, taste, and clothing. This Personal trivia then drowns out dialogue on serious issues. Women perceive the electoral arena as sexist and biased, because female candidates politics are valued less than their personality, family and appearance.

Media coverage faced by these female candidates aggravates gender bias in American politics. Sexism in media diminishes women’s campaigns by positioning a female candidates

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