Gender-Conscious Legislative Practices and Culture
Another way to encourage more women to run for elected office is to ensure that prospective women candidates feel confident that they can succeed once they are in office. Women won't run for office if they feel that their political system is biased against them and that the sacrifices they will have to make to serve outweigh the benefits of serving.
Luckily, there are several steps that legislative bodies can take to ensure that women are able to serve unencumbered by legislative practices and procedures that may be biased against them.
Luckily, there are several steps that legislative bodies can take to ensure that women are able to serve unencumbered by legislative practices and procedures that may be biased against them.
Women's Caucuses
A first step on the path to eliminating gender bias in state legislatures is to increase the prevalence of Women's Caucuses by strengthening the ones that already exist and forming ones where they do not. A Women's Caucus is an association of female legislators tasked with promoting legislation that will improve the status of women in their state. They also serve as important networking channels for female legislators. At least 17 state legislatures have Women's Caucuses that meet on a regular basis, and 15 have Caucuses that meet less formally.
Utilizing the infrastructure of Women's Caucuses to increase the bargaining power of female legislators will allow for the implementation of other reforms that will make legislatures more women-friendly.
Utilizing the infrastructure of Women's Caucuses to increase the bargaining power of female legislators will allow for the implementation of other reforms that will make legislatures more women-friendly.
Advancing Women to Positions of Leadership
Another important way that legislatures can demonstrate a commitment to gender equality is by raising women to positions of leadership. Women currently make up only 17.9% of state legislative leadership and 21.1% of state legislative committee chairs. Legislatures should affirmatively demonstrate their commitment to increasing women's representation by appointing women to leadership positions when they are available. Women's Caucuses can help them find the best candidates for those positions.
Legislative Operations
While Representation2020 hopes for a day when the responsibilities of performing household duties and raising children are shared equally by men and women, the fact remains that women, even those who work outside the home, still bear the brunt of home-related responsibilities.
Therefore, Representation2020 suggests that Women's Caucuses and state legislative leadership look into reform their procedural practices in a way that would benefit legislators with children. This could include limiting floor debates and votes to certain times of the day and allow committee members to telecommute for certain meetings.
Therefore, Representation2020 suggests that Women's Caucuses and state legislative leadership look into reform their procedural practices in a way that would benefit legislators with children. This could include limiting floor debates and votes to certain times of the day and allow committee members to telecommute for certain meetings.