In the United States female elected officials are underrepresented at all levels of government, however the majority of focus and research on this topic is conducted either at the state or federal level. Studying female underrepresentation at the local level is crucial, because it is typically where the pipeline to higher and more powerful offices begins. In this paper I will argue that the presence of All-Female networks will expand the inclusivity of the eligibility pool and therefore increase female representation in local executive positions. I have outlined my paper by the following points: first I will introduce important theories on representation, secondly, I will examine the problem of female underrepresentation in politics and dissect
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An important place to start is the beginning of the 20th century and the debates over women’s suffrage. Before, and after, the passage of the 19th Amendment, which barred voting discrimination the basis of sex/gender (U.S. Constitution, 1787), the debate around women’s suffrage--and by extension women’s entrance into the political realm--centered around the concepts of female morality and the domestic sphere as central to a woman’s place and duty to society. Baker (1984) argues that, “it [women’s suffrage] represented a radical departure from the familiar world of separate spheres, a departure that [was feared] would bring social disorder, political disaster, and, most important, women's loss of position as society's moral arbiter and enforcer” (p.620). It is crucial to understand this historical context when discussing women running for political office, and specifically executive office, because regardless of the law protecting a woman's right to vote, society as whole has socialized women to feel more comfortable in the private/domestic sphere which is the antithesis to the public/political sphere. In other words, a woman running for elected leadership positions, contradicts the traditional gender roles that have been cultivated by American …show more content…
This means that a representative’s identities will impact the legislation they introduce or implement. Considering women have had a history of disenfranchisement in American politics, legislation that would benefit women tends to be neglected. In her article Mansbridge (1999) asserts, “A history of dominance and subordination typically breeds inattention, on the part of the dominant group…[and] a representative body should ideally include at least one representative who can speak for every group that might provide new information, perspectives, or ongoing insights relevant to the understanding that leads to a decision” (p. 634 & 641). Increasing descriptive representation of women in elected positions will remedy this lack of attentiveness that can range from indifference to
An important place to start is the beginning of the 20th century and the debates over women’s suffrage. Before, and after, the passage of the 19th Amendment, which barred voting discrimination the basis of sex/gender (U.S. Constitution, 1787), the debate around women’s suffrage--and by extension women’s entrance into the political realm--centered around the concepts of female morality and the domestic sphere as central to a woman’s place and duty to society. Baker (1984) argues that, “it [women’s suffrage] represented a radical departure from the familiar world of separate spheres, a departure that [was feared] would bring social disorder, political disaster, and, most important, women's loss of position as society's moral arbiter and enforcer” (p.620). It is crucial to understand this historical context when discussing women running for political office, and specifically executive office, because regardless of the law protecting a woman's right to vote, society as whole has socialized women to feel more comfortable in the private/domestic sphere which is the antithesis to the public/political sphere. In other words, a woman running for elected leadership positions, contradicts the traditional gender roles that have been cultivated by American …show more content…
This means that a representative’s identities will impact the legislation they introduce or implement. Considering women have had a history of disenfranchisement in American politics, legislation that would benefit women tends to be neglected. In her article Mansbridge (1999) asserts, “A history of dominance and subordination typically breeds inattention, on the part of the dominant group…[and] a representative body should ideally include at least one representative who can speak for every group that might provide new information, perspectives, or ongoing insights relevant to the understanding that leads to a decision” (p. 634 & 641). Increasing descriptive representation of women in elected positions will remedy this lack of attentiveness that can range from indifference to