Starting primarily since 1992, “the year of the women”, the number of women in Congress has increased. Today women represent 13.6% of the House of Representatives, 13% of the Senate and 22.3% of the State Legislature (Swers 2001, 217). Nevertheless, although there has been an increase of women representation, it has been a slow one. One of the reasons why this has been the case is not because when women run their constituents do not vote for them, it is mainly due to the fact that there is a lack of women running for Congress (Pearson 2013, 62). This then, brings about the debate of whether or not women representation in congress should be descriptive or remain substantive (Swers 2001, 217). Furthermore, an increase in congresswomen could
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White men were considered the only population capable of leading and running a government and being able to consent to the laws of the third party. This caused the marginalization of minorities such as women, Blacks and Latinos. With large social movements that made equal rights for all minorities, politics were no longer considered an institution for only white males. The increase of women in the professional world also resulted in the increase of women in politics. Nevertheless, because politics is considered a male institution, Congress, for example has a greater population of men than women. With the increase of women in congress however, there was also an increase in representation from minorities. The problem, however are the stereotypes that accompany certain candidates due to their gender, race or …show more content…
As mentioned in the introduction, this topic brings about a debate between descriptive and substantive representation. Research has clearly shown that women in Congress and the State Legislature do focus more on women’s issues and are more likely to bring these up on the national agenda. Furthermore, they are also more likely to make progress in these issues and make them laws, passed or approved policies and bills. Hence an increase in women representation does solidify descriptive representation that a member of that population is effectively advocating for the needs of those people. In the case of women in politics, descriptive representation is crucial, for the reasons mentioned above. Nevertheless, it has been facing some hurdles and those are the existing stereotypes and gender partisanship. With women representatives facing so many reproaches about their ways of leading or working, or representing their parties, the importance of the message of representing the interests of their female constituents seems to get lost. Furthermore, when women representatives have to make obvious their loyalty to their parties and the two political parties in the United States are drifting more and more apart, it is harder for women representatives to put all
White men were considered the only population capable of leading and running a government and being able to consent to the laws of the third party. This caused the marginalization of minorities such as women, Blacks and Latinos. With large social movements that made equal rights for all minorities, politics were no longer considered an institution for only white males. The increase of women in the professional world also resulted in the increase of women in politics. Nevertheless, because politics is considered a male institution, Congress, for example has a greater population of men than women. With the increase of women in congress however, there was also an increase in representation from minorities. The problem, however are the stereotypes that accompany certain candidates due to their gender, race or …show more content…
As mentioned in the introduction, this topic brings about a debate between descriptive and substantive representation. Research has clearly shown that women in Congress and the State Legislature do focus more on women’s issues and are more likely to bring these up on the national agenda. Furthermore, they are also more likely to make progress in these issues and make them laws, passed or approved policies and bills. Hence an increase in women representation does solidify descriptive representation that a member of that population is effectively advocating for the needs of those people. In the case of women in politics, descriptive representation is crucial, for the reasons mentioned above. Nevertheless, it has been facing some hurdles and those are the existing stereotypes and gender partisanship. With women representatives facing so many reproaches about their ways of leading or working, or representing their parties, the importance of the message of representing the interests of their female constituents seems to get lost. Furthermore, when women representatives have to make obvious their loyalty to their parties and the two political parties in the United States are drifting more and more apart, it is harder for women representatives to put all