By Kate Quick

Politics has historically been and still remains a field where women are largely underrepresented. Despite progress in recent decades, women still face relentless obstacles in achieving equal representation. Structural barriers such as lack of access to party networks, fundraising disparities, and societal expectations about gender roles in leadership persist. Moreover, women often contend with gender biases and stereotypes that can shape voter perceptions and media portrayals. 

In this blog, I share some historical context surrounding female representation in politics, the current status of women in leadership positions, and where to go from here. 

History of Women in Politics

To understand the current state of women’s representation in politics, it is important to consider the historical context and to know about the impactful events that have taken place over American history. 

The historical narratives shared in this blog are crafted with the intent to educate and inform. However, it is crucial to recognize that history is often recorded from the perspective of those who held power. As such, these accounts may not fully represent the diverse range of lived experiences and identities throughout history.

We acknowledge that every individual’s story is unique, and many voices, especially those of marginalized and oppressed communities, have been historically underrepresented or overlooked. We aim to provide a broad understanding while encouraging readers to seek out multiple perspectives to gain a more comprehensive and nuanced view of the past.

The journey to women’s inclusion in politics begins with the women’s suffrage movement, which began in the late 1840s but did not fully take off until after the Civil War ended in 1865. After the war ended, the 14th Amendment was passed, giving the Constitution’s protection to all citizens, defining “citizens” as “male.” A few years later, the 15th amendment was passed, giving Black men the right to vote. Exclusion of women from both amendments pushed many women to fight for their right to vote.

Many women challenged the constitution in various ways, including Victoria Woodhull, who despite being able to vote, became the first woman to run for president in 1872.

In 1890, suffragists formed the National American Woman Suffrage Association, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton as their president. In 1896, The National Association of Colored Women was formed, led by Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, Mary Church Terrell, and Anna Julia Cooper. 

Suffragists protested and lobbied, while suffering backlash from many, including other women, the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, and political leaders. In the 1900s, the women’s suffrage campaign gained momentum, as women’s participation during World War I provided reason for President Woodrow Wilson to support the passing of the 19th Amendment. 

On August 19th, 1920, women were legally granted the right to vote, and in that same year, more than 8 million women across the United States voted in elections for the first time.

Despite now being able to vote, women’s roles in politics initially did not change much. Patriarchal gender roles remained in place across the country, and women rarely held positions of power or political roles for many years. Women activists tried to influence politics by working within the Democratic and Republican hierarchies, but found that major parties were not always welcoming either to women activists or to the issues they brought to the table.

However, while the majority of political candidates were men, some women did seek and win political office, especially in the feminism wave of the 1960s and 1970s. Two notable women of this time include Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian-Pacific Islander descent in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to serve in Congress and a notable candidate in the 1972 Democratic primary. 

The National Women’s Political Caucus, founded in 1971, dedicated its work to increasing women’s participation at all levels of the political system. It still exists today and is a great resource for women interested in a career in politics.

In the 1980s-2000s, the U.S. saw an emergence of prominent women in American politics. In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to run on a major party presidential ticket as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Throughout this period, more women were elected to Congress and state legislatures, playing large roles in advancing legislative agendas, including laws related to women’s rights, healthcare, education, and family issues. Notable legislation during this period includes the Family and Medical Leave Act (1993) and the Violence Against Women Act (1994).

Women’s political activism and advocacy organizations also increased during this period, working towards issues such as reproductive rights, equal pay, childcare, and gender equality in the workplace and politics. The 1980s and 1990s saw increased awareness and advocacy around intersectional issues affecting women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and other marginalized groups within the broader feminist movement.

The 2000s witnessed impactful moments in presidential politics for women. Hillary Clinton‘s campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2008 made history, and her later campaign in 2016 further highlighted the progress of women seeking the highest political office.

Throughout the past century, women in American politics have faced persistent challenges, including gender-based discrimination, stereotypes, and barriers to fundraising and campaign resources. However, without their efforts, we would not be where we are today.

Current Statistics

What do American politics look like for women today? Ahead of the 2024 Election, the Pew Research Center published a report detailing the current status of women in political positions. 

U.S. Senate

At the start of the 118th Congress in 2023, there were 25 women serving in the U.S. Senate, accounting for 25% of the current Senate population. See the graph below that demonstrates the changes in percentages since 1965.

Of these 25 women, 16 are Democrats and 9 are Republicans. 22 are White, 2 are Asian American, and 1 is Hispanic. No Black women currently serve in the Senate, nor do any American Indian or Alaska Native women.

At the start of the 118th Congress, 124 women were voting members in the House of Representatives, accounting for 28.5% of the chamber’s voting membership. See the graph below that demonstrates the changes in percentages since 1965. Additionally, 4 women serve as non-voting delegates to Congress, representing American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Of the 124 voting representatives, 91 are Democrats and 33 are Republicans. 26 are Black, 18 are Hispanic, 7 are Asian American, 2 are Native American, and 1 is multiracial.

State Legislatures

Women make up 29.9% of state senate seats and 33.7% of state house or assembly seats. 3 women serve as state senate presidents, and another 13 as senate presidents pro tempore. An additional 8 are speakers of state houses. See the graph below that demonstrates the changes in percentages since 1971.

Governors

To date, 49 women have served as governors in 32 states. In 2023, 8 Democratic and 4 Republican women held positions as governors, accounting for 24% of current U.S. governors. There has been much variability in the number since 1975, but this is the highest percentage to date. See the graph below.

Cabinet-Level Positions

President Joe Biden’s Cabinet includes 12 women out of the 25 positions that he has designated as Cabinet or Cabinet-level. This is the highest number of women in history, at 48%. This drastically differs from Former President Donald Trump’s cabinet, at 26.1% being women. 

Under Biden, three of the top Cabinet positions – the vice president, secretary of treasury, and director of national intelligence – are each held by women for the first time. Biden’s Cabinet includes 4 White women, 4 Black women, 1 Asian American woman, 1 Hispanic woman, 1 American Indian woman, and 1 multiracial woman.

Vice Presidents of the United States of America

To date, only 1 woman has served as the Vice President of the United States. This is Kamala Harris, who is currently serving as Vice President to President Joe Biden.

Presidents of the United States of America

To date, zero women have served as the President of the U.S.

What can be done?

Despite some progress in women’s representation in politics, much more work needs to be done. Although much female representation is largely affected by voter preferences, increasing diversity and representation in American politics can be targeted through education systems. Through educating aspiring politicians, leaders, and government officials while in their impactful education years, such as high school and college, diverse voices can be educated and learn that they too belong in politics. Some tips that colleges can work to increase diversity and equity in political positions include the following recommendations:

• Demystify and simplify the voting process. University faculty can connect students to resources with information on voter eligibility, deadlines, and where and how to vote.
• Provide updated information. Common barriers to student voting relate to student identification and residency requirements, as well as confusion over absentee and mail-in ballots, so universities can assist in providing up-to-date information on local, state, and federal voting procedures. Also, if possible, provide unbiased information on local and federal candidates and their desired policies.
  • If you are interested in learning about voter registration and other related events, check out DePaul University’s up-to-date page on Voter Registration.
• Organize a student government on campus. By having a student government, this can give students opportunities to get a taste of what it is like to hold a leadership position and hone in on skills such as public speaking, research, and interpersonal communication.
• Facilitate student organizations on campus. Offer an array of student organizations that provide opportunities for all students, especially marginalized students, to connect with others students similar and different to them and engage in political conversations. Allow students to create new organizations if one does not already exist.
• Offer coursework from diverse voices. Offer legal and political coursework that centers around current and past issues in politics, and ensure that faculty and instructors represent all identities, including gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
• Connect and assist students with obtaining internships within the political sphere, such as local, state, federal, and international levels.
  • See the Political Science Internships for a comprehensive list of political and government internships.

Efforts to promote gender diversity in political institutions have made progress, yet the path to representation remains elusive, requiring ongoing advocacy and reform efforts to ensure that women’s voices and perspectives are fully integrated into the politics

Resources for Women Interested in Politics:

• She Should Run
• Women in Government  
• National Women’s Political Caucus
• Center for American Women and Politics
  • Women’s Political Power Map (Resources across the country for women interested in running for office, working on political campaigns, or holding appointive office) 
• Click! The Ongoing Feminist Revolution   
• National Women’s History Museum- Learning Resources on Women’s Political Participation 

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