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 week’s Weekend Reading includes on-the-ground updates from the 2024 Reykjavik Global Forum; the progress of women in state legislatures, particularly in New Mexico and Minnesota; the record number of female governors in the U.S.; and the ongoing global fight for women’s representation.
Women Political Leaders From Around the Globe Gather in Reykjavik, Iceland
As the United States grapples with the election results and the status of women’s representation, I had the immense privilege to speak at the 2024 Reykjavik Global Forum alongside partnerships director Katie Usalis. This forum brings together women leaders from across the globe to discuss issues surrounding equal pay, ending gender-based violence, implementing equal paid leave, and improving gender parity for women in politics.
It was truly a fantastic experience sharing our insights on gender balance in the United States, hearing new ideas on building women’s political power around the globe, and connecting with amazing women, including Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Mary Robinson, Eliza Reid and Jevrosima Pejovic whom I first met in 2018 and who is now a member of Parliament in Montenegro.
RepresentWomen co-hosted a panel with Susannah Wellford of Running Start and a RepresentWomen board member on Actionable Solutions to Build Women’s Political Power, featuring U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez and Chrissy Houlahan, Ruby Coleman, Katie Usalis, Melissa Richmond and Ashley Espinosa Reyes Madriles.
This conversation highlighted Running Start’s preparation of 27,500 women to run for office, factors motivating incumbent politicians, and international systems reforms to elect more women.
We were also honored to connect with Halla Tomasdottir, the president of Iceland, in her home.
While not a member of the European Union (and therefore not highlighted in our recent international brief), Iceland continues to rank as one of the top countries for gender balance in the world.
What Will it Take to Elect a Woman President?
Last week, the United States failed to elect its first woman president. While gender was not the primary focus of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, it undoubtedly influenced the decisions of many voters who chose not to support her. Despite women making up more than half of the U.S. population, they represent less than a third of Congress. Now, more than ever, we must actively support and encourage women who are interested in running for office.
Amna Nawaz discussed more with Erinn Haines and Kelly Dittmar in this expansive PBS interview:
And, again, what do we know about who we are as a country this year? That America is still not yet ready to elect a woman to lead our country. The issue of gender, not necessarily something that Vice President Kamala Harris was emphasizing, but it was absolutely looming over this race.
And when you think about American voters really prioritizing the economy, immigration, maybe not seeing a woman as the person that embodied the characteristics of strength or power around those issues, I think that this was absolutely an election that was gendered.
We definitely saw former President Trump coming back into the White House on a message of his particular brand of masculinity. I think that we cannot have a conversation about this election without having a conversation about the role — the ongoing role of gender in our politics and continuing to ask the question, what is it going to take for a woman — for this country to ever elect a woman president?
Record Number of States Will Have Women Governors Next Year
Next year, a record-breaking 13 women will serve as state governors, building on the historic gains made in the 2022 elections. This milestone was achieved following Republican Kelly Ayotte’s recent victory in New Hampshire.
The other 12 women governors were already in office or elected in previous years are:
- Kay Ivey (Alabama)
- Katie Hobbs (Arizona)
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas)
- Kim Reynolds (Iowa)
- Laura Kelly (Kansas)
- Janet Mills (Maine)
- Maura Healey (Massachusetts)
- Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan)
- Michelle Lujan Grisham (New Mexico)
- Kathy Hochul (New York)
- Tina Kotek (Oregon)
- Kristi Noem (South Dakota)
While women leaders may have diverse priorities, they often champion caregiving policies. Having more women in office not only addresses important issues but also inspires future generations by challenging gender biases in leadership roles.
Juliana Kim from NPR writes:
“We’re both celebrating the milestones that women have achieved, but at the same time, as we note those milestones, we also have to recognize that there is a lot of progress left to make for women,” said Kelly Dittmar, director of research at Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics.
“And that is especially true at the gubernatorial level,” she added…
Next year, Ayotte will join the group of female governors already in office: Kay Ivey of Alabama; Katie Hobbs of Arizona; Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas; Kim Reynolds of Iowa; Laura Kelly of Kansas; Janet Mills of Maine; Maura Healey of Massachusetts; Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico; Kathy Hochul of New York; Tina Kotek of Oregon; and Kristi Noem of South Dakota. Including Ayotte, five are Republicans and eight are Democrats.
In the U.S. territories, Lou Leon Guerrero, a Democrat, has been serving as Guam’s governor since 2019. This past week, Republican Jenniffer González-Colón won Puerto Rico’s governor’s race.
Gender Parity Reached in the New Mexico Legislature
New Mexico’s fourth-place ranking in our 2024 Gender Parity Index is a testament to the state’s commitment to gender equality. A historic milestone is on the horizon, as women will soon hold a 54% majority in the New Mexico legislature.
Morgan Lee writes in the Associated Press:
Women have won 60 seats in the New Mexico Legislature to secure the largest female legislative majority in U.S. history, stirring expressions of vindication and joy among candidates who knocked on doors and found voters were ready.
New Mexico voters are sending 11 additional women — Democrats and Republicans — to bump up female representation in the 112-member Legislature. Female state senators will still hold a minority of seats — 16 out of 42.
Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation Will Now Have a Women-Majority
Minnesota’s congressional delegation now has a female majority, with seven out of ten seats held by women. This shift marks a significant increase in female representation since 2001, when Betty McCollum was the only woman in the delegation.
Minnesota currently ranks 9th in the 2024 Gender Parity Index (GPI) with a “B” grade. It will be interesting to see whether this shift in representation impacts the state’s ranking or letter grade in next year’s GPI.
Mary Murphy from TwinCities.com writes:
Of the 10 representatives Minnesota is sending to Congress, seven will be women and six will be DFL women. Before the election, there were five male and five female lawmakers from Minnesota in Congress.
U.S. House DFL Reps. Ilhan Omar, Betty McCollum and Angie Craig and Republican Rep. Michelle Fischbach will return to D.C. after winning reelection Tuesday. They are set to be joined by newcomer DFL Rep. Kelly Morrison and longtime U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Reps. Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad and Pete Stauber make up the remainder of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation.
In 2001, McCollum was the only woman serving in the 10-seat delegation.
“Women aren’t just leading the DFL Party — they are leading Minnesota,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “Speaker (Melissa) Hortman and leaders (Sen. Kari) Dziedzic and (Sen. Erin) Murphy shepherded through extraordinary wins for working families, like paid family leave and free school meals. And the DFL women leading our Congressional delegation have been on the frontlines of lowering prescription drug prices and protecting affordable health care.”
Moldova Elects First Woman President
Maia Sandu has been elected as Moldova’s first female president, securing 57.7 percent of the vote. A former prime minister, Sandu faced misogynistic attacks during her campaign, similar to the challenges faced by women in the U.S. presidential race. Despite these obstacles, she has broken barriers in the post-Soviet region, inspiring women in Moldova to pursue their aspirations and strive for leadership roles.
Stéphanie Fillion writes for Forbes:
“By becoming the first Moldovan female President, Maia Sandu breaks the rigid glass ceilings that only few women could achieve in the post-soviet space so far,” Cristina Gherasimov, a research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, said. “This gives hope and courage to girls and young women in Moldova to pursue careers of their choice that otherwise seem to be unattainable.”
Sandu, who is 48, won after a run-off with the pro-Russia incumbent Igor Dodon, who got 42.2% of the vote.
According to Gherasimov, Sandu’s road to winning the presidency was bumpy, and her opponent targetted her specifically because she is a woman: “Particularly in the two weeks preceding the runoff election, Sandu was heavily attacked for not being married, and not having a family at her 48 years,” Gherasimov said. “Misogynistic and sexist comments are among the main challenges she had to take from her opponents especially in the previous two presidential campaigns of 2016 and 2020.“
Some Other Bright Spots
Gift-giving season is just around the corner. Our annual planner is the perfect gift for the extraordinary woman in your life. It highlights key milestones in women’s history and has plenty of space for you to plan your days. Don’t wait: Order the Visionary Woman’s 2025 Planner today!
You are also invited to join us for our annual end of year call on Dec. 4, 2024. We will reflect on RepresentWomen’s work this year to increase women’s representation and will discuss our strategy as we look ahead to 2025.
Sending you warmth and light during these stressful times.
