I interviewed two women, the first being a family member and the other a friend, to discover why women hold back from pursuing local, state, and federal political office. The first interviewee pointed out that women mainly fail to seek political office careers because of family responsibilities (Interviewee 1, personal communication, November 16, 2021). She elucidated by stating that it is a great challenge for women to balance leadership roles within the political office and the extensive home chores at their disposal. This interviewee suggested the second reason for women not pursuing political power to be associated with the stereotypes about women’s positions in society (Interviewee 1, personal communication, November 16, 2021).
Considering that men have held leadership positions in political office for so long, there is the notion of the connection between political power and masculinity. She explained that this trait is no longer viewed as favorable when exhibited by women; therefore, they get discouraged when they intend to hold a political seat. This is due to the aggressive nature of the political game, thus not conducive to women’s easily bruised egos.
The second interviewee pointed out that women tend to have fewer “connections” to venture into and advance in the political field (Interviewee 2, personal communication, November 16, 2021). She stated that men have higher chances of attaining networks that enable them to learn about the current opportunities within the political arena, therefore, pursue them compared to women. She added that men could easily connect with the attained networks and find mentors and sponsors that fuel their advancement, leaving the women with minimal chances of climbing the political ladder.
This interviewee gave another reason for the biases and discrimination practiced in the political arena. She explained further by stating that subtle biases, hostile work environments, and sexual harassment are obstacles keeping women from political office (Interviewee 2, personal communication, November 16, 2021). She affirmed that women of color get discriminated against every time they attempt to venture into politics.
References
- Interviewee 1. (2021). Personal communication.
- Interviewee 2. (2021). Personal communication.