Nearly one hundred years after American women got the vote through the entire nation, women’s voices are missing in politics and the media.
In the U.S. Congress, just 17% of Senators and a little less than 17% of House Members are women.
These are poor numbers compared to many other countries. In fact, in a list of the percentages of women in the lower house of national legislatures, the United States is 78th.
On our continent, Mexico ranks 36th (with 26% women) and Canada 40th (25% women). The top region, Scandinavia, has legislatures with 40-45% women.
The U.S. has never had a woman president and only six states have women governors right now.
And, in the media, as a recent study shows, few women are quoted in newspapers, major news broadcasts, and political shows. This is even true in stories about birth control, abortion, Planned Parenthood, and women’s rights.