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 Women in Politics

"Ultimately, power is a synthesis of the desire to make the world better and the experience of learning how to make it happen in political and other arenas." -Dianne Feinstein

Seventy-eight years after gaining the right to vote, how far have women come in establishing themselves as leaders and full participants in government and politics?

On October 1st, four Mount Holyoke Alumnae who have succeeded in electoral politics will discuss and analyze the success of women in achieving political representation, and the continuing challenges to female participation in politics and government. How does the participation and election of women impact public policy and social change? What is the potential for future leadership by women in elected office?

Consider these facts:
  • In 1998, 63 women serve in Congress: nine in the Senate, and 54 in the House of Representatives-an all-time high.
  • 21.8% of state legislators in the United States are women.
  • 12 of the 100 largest U.S. cities are led by women mayors.
  • The 1996 Presidential election showed an eleven point gender gap, the largest ever recorded, with women favoring Bill Clinton and men preferring Bob Dole.
  • In April 1997, 36% of women identified as Democrats, compared to 26% of men. Among the youngest voters (ages 18-24), the "Gender Gap" is larger-38% compared to 23%.
  • Women, who now constitute more than half the population, have cast between four and seven million more votes than men in recent elections.
  • At the rate at which women are being elected, it will take 410 years before the proportion of women in Congress equals their percentage in the overall population.

    • Can the interests of women be accurately represented without numerical representation? Come to this symposium, the first of three offered this semester by the Center for Leadership and Public Interest Advocacy, to learn more about issues concerning women and political leadership.

    To learn more about the symposium participants, click here.

    If you would like to learn more about specific issues raised by this symposium, consult these resources.

    For other internet resources addressing issues of women in politics, click here.

    To read an article from the Mount Holyoke News discussing issues of women and political leadership, click here.

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    Copyright © 1999 Mount Holyoke College. This page created by Center for Leadership and Public Interest Advocacy and maintained by Nabina Shrestha. Last modified on March 11, 1999.