Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!
This past weekend, I was filled with renewed optimism for our democracy.
President Biden passed the torch to Vice President Harris. Now, it’s her turn to make history! Since being endorsed by President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris has received endorsements from high-ranking Democratic party officials like Nancy Pelosi, raised record-breaking amounts of money, and generated over 38,000 voter registrations.
A July ranked-choice voting poll from FairVote placed Vice President Harris at the top of potential candidates to succeed President Biden, which still holds today. In my latest op-ed, I make the case for her as the best candidate to compete against former President Trump.
She can build upon Biden’s accomplishments, advocate for fixing democracy rather than tearing it down, and embody a party that, a century after women earned suffrage, continues to champion the aspirations and goals of most women.
As we get ready to release the results of our 2024 Gender Parity Index next Tuesday, I am excited and hopeful to see how this historic nomination impacts down-ballot elections across the nation.
This week, we honor the legacy of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee; explore how ranked-choice voting leads to electoral success for women and people of color, and discover how the Olympics are supporting athletes with families. We also highlight Alice Milliat, a pioneer who championed gender equality in the Olympics. As we prepare for the opening night of the Games, don’t forget to participate in our Olympic-inspired RCV poll.
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Dies at 74, Leaving a Legacy of Advocacy and Service for All
This past week, longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) died at the age of 74 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She is celebrated for her leadership in protecting women from domestic violence and recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday.
Sheila Jackson Lee’s initiatives for women will remain significant. We honor her as a woman in politics who upheld constitutional freedoms for everyone.
PBS News reports:
The Democrat had represented her Houston-based district and the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1995. She had previously had breast cancer and announced the pancreatic cancer diagnosis on June 2.“The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me,” Jackson Lee said in a statement then.
Jackson Lee was “a towering figure in our politics,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Saturday. “Always fearless, she spoke truth to power and represented the power of the people of her district in Houston with dignity and grace.”
Biden said Jackson Lee’s spirit was unbreakable.
Kamala Harris-Inspired Spotify Playlist
Celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic endorsement with our newest playlist! Let the music carry you through this historic moment for women.
Experts Show Working Group That Ranked-Choice Voting Leads to Electoral Success For Women, People Of Color
Last week, RepresentWomen’s partnerships director Katie Usalis and national partnerships manager Victoria Pelletier presented to the Connecticut legislature as part of Governor Ed Lamont’s working group exploring the implementation of ranked-choice voting in Connecticut. Melissa Mark-Viverito of New Majority NYC and NYC City Council member Amanda Farías also discussed how ranked-choice voting positively affected advances for women in their respective communities.
As of 2023, Connecticut had a Gender Parity Index score of 24.4 and ranked 27th in the nation. Supporting ranked-choice voting is one way to reform our electoral system and help elect candidates who better reflect the support of most voters, especially women, and candidates of color.
Jamil Ragland writes:
Portland approved ranked-choice voting for all municipal elections in 2020. Prior to the new voting system, Portland had three women on its nine-person city council. After the first election, when ranked-choice voting was simple, that number doubled to six women, said National Partnerships Manager Victoria Pelletier:
“[The council] right now is women-led for the first time in our city’s history,” she said. “Every district we have is represented by a woman and last year, we had our first all-women committee. Most of us won our races against incumbents or others who ran before in the past. Ranked choice voting has really helped the council diversify, as we now have more women of color, and it’s been a huge benefit for our city in getting more first-time candidates, more people who want to help their community who don’t look like what you would think of as a typical elected official become elected.”
Bringing Ranked-Choice Voting to the Nation’s Capital
This week I was honored to stand alongside D.C. ranked-choice voting advocates Bri McGowan and D.C. Council member Christina Henderson at a fundraiser for Make All Votes Count DC and Initiative 83, which would enfranchise independent voters in Washington, D.C., and bring ranked-choice voting to the nation’s capital.
Paris Olympics Introduces First-Ever Nursery for Parent Athletes
For the first time in history, parent athletes competing in the Olympics now have access to a nursery in the Olympic Village. The space is intended to allow athletes to spend time with their children and includes private breastfeeding areas. French Olympic judo champion Clarisse Agbegnenou championed this new project.
Unlike the Olympics (which achieved gender balance for the first time), most women in elected positions lack the resources to serve effectively and sustainably. Our ally, Vote Mama, plays a vital role in highlighting the challenges women and parents face.
Hiroki Noda from Kyodo News reports:
The International Olympic Committee said in March that parent athletes must find a balance between preparing for their big moments and caring for their children.
“Many athletes are balancing their sporting careers and family. I know how this feels as I competed at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games as a mother with a young child,” said Emma Terho, chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
The nursery can be booked online for a private or shared time slot between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
“Pregnancy and motherhood are a natural path in life, and it doesn’t have to mean a career end for female athletes,” added Terho, a former captain of the Finnish women’s ice hockey team.
Need to Hear from a Woman Democracy Leader? Try RepresentWomen’s Directory for Political Experts
Did you know that RepresentWomen has a directory of talented women whose profession focuses on expanding democracy? This first-of-its-kind resource, the Women Experts in Democracy Directory, is designed to help organizations and media outlets connect with women working in politics to ensure women are fairly represented in essential conversations on the state of our democracy.
We created the directory right after the 2023 Democracy Solutions Summit, at which democracy experts discussed topics such as ranked choice voting, electing the first female president, and global solutions to improve gender balance internationally. Complete recordings of past Summits are available on our YouTube page.
Kemira Mulholland and Livia Follet report:
“We saw a need, and we met it. Our ever-growing Women Experts in Democracy Directory includes over 100 women experts in democracy, ranging from academics to elected officials who, collectively, speak 11 languages. Now, there is no excuse for all-male panels. Democracy needs women at the table, now more than ever,” said Katie Usalis, partnerships director at RepresentWomen.
Alice Milliat’s 1922 Women’s Olympics: Pioneering Gender Equality in Sports
The 2024 Olympics open in Paris on Friday. While the Games have showcased many brilliant women athletes, women were initially excluded. Alice Milliat organized the first Women’s Olympics in Paris, bringing together 77 women athletes to compete in track and field. Despite resistance from the male-dominated Olympic community, Milliat’s event made a bold statement for gender equality in sports. Her legacy is recognized as a pivotal force in gender equality in sports, inspiring continued efforts for balance in athletics.
John Branch from The New York Times reports:
It was 1922, two years before the last time the Olympics were held in Paris. On a warm August day, about 20,000 people came to Pershing Stadium to watch 77 athletes in track and field, including a team track and field athletes, including United States team records. There were 27 journalists and news coverage around the world.
And at the start, a 38-year-old woman named Alice Milliat welcomed the world to Paris. She was the founder of the International Women’s Sports Federation, known in her native France as the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale.
Every competitor that day was a woman…
Milliat was making a statement that echoes today. The male-dominated world of the mainline Olympics, busy preparing for the Paris Games of 1924, ignored the 1922 event, other than to complain about Milliat’s unauthorized use of “Olympics.” They dismissed the rising idea that women should compete at all.
Which Olympic Sport Are You Most Excited to Watch in Paris?
Cast your vote in this week’s ranked-choice voting poll!
Up next:
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. For as little as $5 each month, you’ll receive the print magazine along with our e-newsletters, action alerts, and invitations to Ms. Studios events and podcasts. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.
