Adequate inclusion of women in politics is prevented based on a lack of supply and demand. The lack in supply is that there are not enough qualified women that come forward to be politicians. This is due to a lack of necessary funds, education, time, and encouragement invested in the female political figure. The lack of demand for women in politics can be linked to the fact that direct and systematic discrimination is at play. Women in politics are often judged more harshly and humiliated more often than their male counterparts (Murray 2012: 4-5). The discrimination against women cannot be fixed merely by forcing women into certain political positions. Rather, there needs to be a systematic change in the way women are viewed and respected in
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It is true to say that some women in these reserved positions could potentially not rise to the level needed, because they still do not have the support or resources that they need to succeed, because nothing societally has changed regarding views against women. This is not sexist to say, as many times men also have not been able to rise to the level needed to take on these types of politics. The difference, however, is that women would be judged much more harshly than men in this situation. If the only attempt to fix sexism in politics is to apply gender quotas, and no efforts are made to combat the ideological problem of sexism in our society, then it could be detrimental to women in politics if a woman failed at her position. If a woman failed at a political endeavor it would not be pushed under the rug as it would be if a man failed as his job, rather it would only be magnified and intensified, harsh judgement and humiliation would follow and reinforce the false notion that women are not up to the challenge and that it was a mistake to force them into politics. Also, being the best woman for a position does not necessarily mean that this woman is the best candidate for the position. A man could be the better candidate, and giving the position to a woman anyways just to appease the demands of a quota is damaging to democracy and the quality of
It is true to say that some women in these reserved positions could potentially not rise to the level needed, because they still do not have the support or resources that they need to succeed, because nothing societally has changed regarding views against women. This is not sexist to say, as many times men also have not been able to rise to the level needed to take on these types of politics. The difference, however, is that women would be judged much more harshly than men in this situation. If the only attempt to fix sexism in politics is to apply gender quotas, and no efforts are made to combat the ideological problem of sexism in our society, then it could be detrimental to women in politics if a woman failed at her position. If a woman failed at a political endeavor it would not be pushed under the rug as it would be if a man failed as his job, rather it would only be magnified and intensified, harsh judgement and humiliation would follow and reinforce the false notion that women are not up to the challenge and that it was a mistake to force them into politics. Also, being the best woman for a position does not necessarily mean that this woman is the best candidate for the position. A man could be the better candidate, and giving the position to a woman anyways just to appease the demands of a quota is damaging to democracy and the quality of