Gender Discrimination In African American Politics

Politics have always been a male dominated role – specifically a white male dominated role. African Americas got the right to vote in 1869 but that did not mean they were welcomed to the world of politics. African Americans were discriminated against with laws such as the grandfather law, poll taxes and literacy tests. The first African Americans elected to congress were elected in 1972 – more than 100 years latter . Women on the other hand only got the right to vote 95 years ago in 1920. To this day our politicians are overwhelmingly white and male, clearly not representing our society. This essay will take a look at how people are discriminated against based on gender, sex and class. It will also take a look at how these discriminations affect society as a whole and keep politicians from doing their job. When it comes to politics one of the major problems is the hiring and promotion of minorities. There are 435 sits in the senate out of all those seats only 84 belong to women. In the house there are currently only 44 African Americans, 34 Hispanic lawmakers, 10 Asian lawmakers and two Native Americans. On the other hand in there are 100 seats in the Senate. Only 20 belong to women. There are two African American Senators, three Hispanic senators and only one Asian American Senator . …show more content…
The participation of women in politics is rising all over the world with decreasing in the United States Women are often judged on their weight, the way they dress, when it comes to female candidates the news often focus on personalities and superficial factors rather than on policy ideas . Congress is still views as an old boys club so men could make the work place very unconformable and hostile for female Congresswomen. Senator Gillibrand wrote in her book that members of Congress would say that she was getting “porgy” or even that she looked good even though she was fat