Author: Steph Scaglia

Steph Scaglia is research manager at RepresentWomen, a research and action hub that promotes the use of systems strategies to advance women’s representation and leadership in the U.S. and abroad. Follow her on Twitter @scagliasteph.

The Ms. Q&A With Mary Robinson, Ireland’s First-Ever Woman President

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When Mary Robinson made history as Ireland’s first woman president, she declared, “I was elected by the women of Ireland, who, instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.” This quote encapsulates a woman who was set on disrupting the system to pursue fair representation.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, RepresentWomen had the esteemed privilege of interviewing Mary Robinson for Ms. In this interview, we explore the depths of her humanitarian work, her political journey, and the heartwarming tradition she initiated with her grandchildren, who hold a special place in her heart. 

Women Saving Democracy: An Attorneys General Explainer

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State attorneys general are touted as the “people’s lawyers”—yet the majority are white and male.

The office of attorney general is the central legal division of the states and exists in all 50 states. Attorneys general dictate the state’s law enforcement priorities as well as where resources flow. Almost half of all U.S. states have never had a woman in the role.

Women Saving Democracy: A Secretaries of State Explainer

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Ever since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June, the national gaze has shifted towards state-level leadership.

The secretary of state is vital to the effective functioning of state government. Responsibilities of the secretary of state vary but, overall, administering election law is one of their most pertinent duties. Only 22 percent of our nation’s secretaries of state are women. In 2022, 27 states are holding elections for the position of secretary of state.

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: Black Women Win Big at the Emmys; U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Officially Scores Equal Pay

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Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation. 

This week: U.S. women’s soccer team officially secures equal pay; Black women win big at the Emmys; how ranked-choice voting would help women candidates compete in New York City; and more.

Gender Parity Index 2022: Women Continue to Break Records—But We Must Break Down Barriers

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RepresentWomen’s Gender Parity Index (GPI), which weighs women’s representation at the national, state and local levels, shows how incremental and sporadic progress for gender balance truly is. According to this year’s Index, there are no states that have reached gender parity — a basement metric if we’re to call ourselves a truly reflective 21st century democracy. A majority of states earned a “D” grade for women’s representation in government, further proving that we are not even close to fully cheering “shattered ceilings” or taking victory laps for national “broken records.”