Women make up half of the country’s population, yet only about one-third of state legislative positions are filled by women. Why aren’t there more women elected public officials? We take a look at Massachusetts’ own shortage of female politicians in Running in Heels. Luckily, there are a number of organizations in the U.S. dedicated to getting more women to run for public office, like Emerge Massachusetts. Click on The New Girls’ Club for more on what their work entails.
Rep. Patricia Haddad is arguably one of the most prominent politicians in New England. In Holding the Door Open, the highest-ranking woman in the State House of Representatives shares about what it’s like being a powerful woman in a male-dominated field. But talking about women in politics needs to include individuals from all backgrounds, including race and socio-economic status. We explore the important issue of diversity among women candidates with the help of expert researchers in Double Binding, which cites data from the latest publication that examines the intersection between gender, race and politics.
