Women and Politics in America

Introduction 

Women have played a significant political role throughout American history. Although some historians were initially of the opinion that women were apolitical during the American Revolution because they could not vote, scholars have confirmed that they were actually engaged actively in the debates surrounding the historical movement. Women played contributed significantly to the efforts toward independence. Even after independence, more women sought a more expansive role in the American political space 1 . However, men scuttled their attempts to play a more pronounced role in the country’s politics. Although men acknowledged their immense support during the war, they considered them unfit for active politics. Generally, men viewed women as especially fit for domestic roles and not active politics. Despite this, men continued to seek political guidance from women. Majority of the women who forcefully immersed themselves into active politics during the time faced severe ideological and legal obstacles. This is because the common law system of coverture accorded married women no formal venue to air out their political opinions as they were legally considered to have no rights over their bodies or to property. The religious view at the time held that women were the weaker sex and that they were authors of the original sin. Besides, the republican ideology at the time posited that such attributes as independence, physical strength, self-reliance, and bravery were generally masculine and that women were essentially selfish and frivolous. Despite such challenges, some of the women carved out incredible political roles for themselves. Women continued to lobby for more opportunities in the country’s political space with a lot of determination. They organized themselves and formed benevolent societies that enabled them to effectively negotiate for a more political representation 2 . Even after the Second World War, women continued to struggle for political representation, as men clang tightly to political power. The men saw the women as a threat to their political foothold in the country. Today, efforts aimed at increasing women representation in American politics are still underway. 

Women and the Right to Vote 

During the 18 th century, political activity was generally equated to the right to vote. However, women were not allowed to vote during the time. Although the Declaration of Independence declared that all men are created equal, women were not considered equal to their male counterparts. Essentially women faced severe limits to their ability to participate actively in politics before, during, and after the American Revolution. This meant that the relationship of women with the state was different from the experiences of their male counterparts in subtle ways. For instance, even white women significantly lost their political power throughout the eighteenth century. 

The legal systems in place at the time played a critical role in limiting the ability of women to play an active role in politics. The system of coverture disenfranchised women politically as it denied women any form of independent civic identity 3 . As such, the husband represented his wife in every aspect of the outside world, making all political decisions and controlling all the property brought by the woman to the union. This meant that women owned no property. Given that property ownership was a primary requisite for political rights during the time, women technically had no political existence. Besides, the woman was expected to be loyal to her husband and not to the state. Although women could share their political views with their husbands, the decision was the husband’s. Interestingly, women were entitled to one right alone, the right to choose her spouse. After that, they were subject to the benevolence of their spouses. 

It is important to realize that it was not the legal system alone that undermined the woman’s role in American politics. The religious convention did too. Religious notions at the time questioned the women’s ability to actively participate in the political process for several reasons. Many continued to use the Biblical story of Eve to justify their assertions. They claimed that women were enslaved to their passions and sexual desires and cannot be trusted with political responsibilities. Most of the proponents of this particular school of thought believed that women were frivolous and irrational, and as such, they could not make the decisions required for a healthy polity. For instance, the Republican ideology at the time favored propertied independence, bravery, self-reliance, and physical strength, attributes that were generally masculine. This automatically impeded women from ascending political ladders in the American society. The Republicans were of the opinion that only men could sacrifice their own interests in order to support public good, as opposed to women who naturally spent too much on luxuries. According to the Republicans, women would weaken the entire American social fabric if allowed to run politics. They claimed that it was impossible for women to resist their penchant for luxuries, particularly when the national interest demanded it. 

Despite the various challenges they faced in the American society, women continued to pay significant attention to the daily political issues. This was the case particularly during the ear of the American Revolution. Although the American Revolution softened the society’s stance regarding the role of women in politics, only a section of the women population reaped the benefits of the revolution. Elite white women were the only ones whose political opinions mattered, as they were able to effectively influence the generally male political world. To a limited extent, urban women had some influence on some political issues. However, their counterparts in rural America were unable to influence the polity. However, it is important to realize that the Quakers were the only religious denomination that gave women more authority, as most of their female members were generally more literate, compared to their southern sisters. 

It is utterly surprising that the American Revolution did not actually alter the roles of women in a positive way. The vast majority of women were still not allowed to vote, with the few who could vote quickly losing the privilege. During the post-war period, women were satisfied at only being patriotic actors in the state. Some of the women, realizing that they had been unfairly disenfranchised politically, resorted to revolutionary rhetoric. Several women declared their independence from abusive husbands and pursued their own ideologies regarding happiness. Women began to assert their right to take control of themselves, as others began taking control of their bodies by limiting the number of children they could bear. Besides, many white middle class girls began attending the growing number of female academies in America. They asserted that they were rational beings capable of making reasoned, important political decisions. The women began to learn and created literary societies that were focused on improving their lives, as well as those of the less fortunate in the society. Some of the elite women at the time hosted salons from where they could discuss relevant political issues of the day. The salons offered a sociable environment where they could comfortable air out their political views, away from the cantankerous politicians. 

Women and the American Revolution 

Women, alongside men, were actively engaged in the debate regarding the relationship between America and England, particularly before the Declaration of Independence. This demonstrates that the colonial women were indeed passionate about public affairs. The women also had opinions regarding the political disagreements that stemmed from local issues in the various provinces. Apart from being wives and mothers, women were generally interested in the world outside home too. The women contributed significantly to the drama that resulted in the American Revolution. They immensely supported the protest movements that ultimately led to independence 4 . However, some of the women were opposed to the protest for fear of the possible chaos, particularly if the ties binding the Empire together got broken. Either way, women played an active role in the politics surrounding the American Revolution. 

Although the women could not engage in formal political activity, they participated in the American Revolution in a subtle way. When the colonial leaders considered non-consumption as the best tool for securing independence, they realized that women support was critical to success. This is because women generally made the most household purchases. The women were then persuaded to resist the pressure to indulge in English luxury items. Alternatively, they were requested to depend on spinning and weaving as a way of producing homespun for their households. Essentially, domestic choices would definitely become political. Women heeded the call and supported the protest movement, often gathering in the public and exhibiting their womanly talents. Women even went further and signed non-consumption agreements in a bid to provide an even stronger support for the protest movement. 

Single women took their support for the protest movement a notch higher. In 1765, five single women shopkeepers from Philadelphia signed a non-importation an agreement as a form of protest to the Stamp Act. As single property owners, the women were legally allowed to participate in active politics, as members of the mercantile community. Additionally, such women could even lobby politicians and sign the petitions. 

Women played a significant role during the American Revolution. They made a lot of sacrifices throughout the war. Sadly, their sacrifices were largely taken for granted and were rarely noticed. Basically, women lost husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers to the war. Some even had to fend for themselves and their children, especially when their husbands left home to fight. The inflation at the time put the barest necessities out of reach for the common man. In the absence of men, women were compelled by circumstances to handle affairs that were traditionally a preserve of the males 5 . They made independent and rational decisions, just like their husbands would do. Many African American women seized the opportunity to seek freedom from their masters. For instance, Phillis Wheatley, an African American poet from Massachusetts published poems that utilized the white Americans’ demands for freedom to challenge the institution of slavery that had led to their suffering. 

Some women even accompanied their husbands to the warfront, where they provided important support to the Army. They washed clothes, cooked, sewed, and nursed the sick and the wounded. Such women would occasionally pick up a weapon and fired at the enemy. This significantly challenged the notion that women were generally weak and selfish. 

Backlash against Women’s Political Activity in America 

By the late 18th century, the women were still considered unfit to actively engage in politics. The French Revolution prompted many to undermine the capacity of women to make rational political decisions. For instance, male chauvinists asserted that males and females were not only different but also opposites 6 . Women were generally considered weak, irrational, and emotional and that they only belonged to home. As such, the egalitarian promise of the American Revolution was quickly disappearing from the American social fabric. Besides, single women, who initially enjoyed the right to vote, lost their right to vote, with many courts across the country reinforcing the notion that all women were essentially dependent and incapable of making rational political decisions. 

The signs of backlash against women’s political activity were evident everywhere in America. According to many, only the opinions of men mattered. Property owning women in Philadelphia were written out of the polity by unscrupulous tax officials who assessed them at rates lower than they should have actually paid. This suggests that women continued to be undermined politically despite their efforts to assert their right to participate in the country’s politics. 

The Role of Women in American Politics after World War II 

The family became the center of American life right after World War II. This meant that women had to stay at to look after the family while the husband worked. The marital and familial priorities limited the number of women participating in American politics 7 . Besides, the women members of the congress were significantly constrained by social expectations for what exactly constituted a woman’s role outside the home. Essentially, the home was considered the proper place for women. For instance, Gracie Pfost, a Congresswoman for Idaho, observed that a female politician’s every move was always criticized and that she must submit to having her private life scrutinized under a microscope. This was confirmed by numerous cases of female politicians being subjected to devastating rumors on a daily basis. 

The primacy of family responsibilities saw the demise of political careers of various American female politicians in the mid-20 th century. Coya Knutson, the first woman to represent Minnesota had her congressional career sabotage by her abusive husband. Her husband falsely accused her of neglecting their family. The power of society’s expectations of what constituted a woman’s role saw Knutson’s political career end. A vocal female politician who advocated for the creation of a food stamp program, federal student loans, and funding for school lunches watched her political dimmed by a largely patriarchal society that believed that a woman’s role was confined to the home 8 . Apparently, her political opponent has conspired with her husband to tarnish her name. As a result of the damning allegations, she lost the 1958 elections by a slim margin of 1390 votes. Although it was later revealed that the allegations were false, the damaged had already been done. Although she attempted to reclaim her seat in the 1960 elections, she failed by an even wider margin, demonstrating how women have been historically undermined in American politics. 

Knutson’s experience indicated that, indeed, women politicians were generally incapable of balancing both a political career and domestic responsibilities. During this period, many women became frustrated by their lack of professional fulfillment. This led to the women’s rights movement of the 1960s when women challenged many of the established traditional notions regarding marital relationships and motherhood. The movement bore fruits, as many young women began to reject the retrogressive sexual conventions of the previous generations. Besides, cohabitation outside marriage and discussion of sexuality become more socially accepted. Sexual and reproductive freedom allowed women to choose either a career or marriage. This enabled them to participate in politics freely without being constrained by social expectations. 

Addressing Underrepresentation of Women in American Politics 

The United States still lags behind many established democracies in terms of the representation of women in politics. The country has not kept pace with many developed countries when it comes to enhancing women’s representation in national legislatures. Currently, women hold a paltry 19.3 percent of all the seats in the House of Representatives and 21 percent in the Senate 9 . This indicates that women are still underrepresented in the country’s politics. Women have the potential to bring diverse ideological perspective to the country’s political dialogue because they hail from different backgrounds. This implies that the lack of adequate women representation in the country’s politics significantly weakens the quality of democracy. This is because the current political elites do not actually reflect America’s diversity in terms or race and social backgrounds. Instead, the political elites still remain largely white, male, and wealthy. Such a political constitution does not effectively represent the interests of all the subgroups making up the United States’ population. 

Civil society organizations have sought to fight the gender imbalance in the country’s politics. This has been done through recruitment, training, and supporting female political candidates 10 . The efforts were reflected in the spike in women’s political mobilization in the 2016 elections. Hundreds of thousands of women around the country demonstrated for gender equality. While this represents a positive trend, several concerns still exist. For instance, the increase in women running for political offices may be short-lived and insufficient to close the existing gap. 

Although the number of women running for political offices in the United States has significantly risen, they win the elections at a rate lower than that of their male counterparts. Besides, women are less likely to consider running for political office than similarly placed men. This gap seems to have endured for decades. Generally, difference in gender socialization in the United States is largely to blame for the low representation of women in politics. This is because many American women continue to be burdened by household and care giving responsibilities that limit their active participation in matter politics. This has made women to view themselves as inadequately qualified and that they are less likely to win their first campaign should they decide to run for political office. Besides, women are generally more likely to view the electoral environment as too competitive and biased against them. Furthermore, the unfair treatment of prominent female politicians seems to put them off, particularly the loss of privacy and the lack of civility in political debates. 

In order to promote women involvement in American politics, it is important take several critical measures aimed at empowering women politically. One of the strategies could be expanding the ranked-choice voting, particularly in multi-member districts. This can be achieved by making it a requirement for party officials to recruit a more diverse slate of candidates, as well as weaken the incentives for negative campaigning. Another strategy is establishing gender parity targets for political action committees and developing effective frameworks for providing fundraising support to female candidates. This will significantly help in encouraging more representation of women in the country’s politics. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, it is demonstrable that women have contributed significantly to American political development throughout history. Although they made significant sacrifices towards the attainment of America’s independence, their efforts were taken for granted by a largely patriarchal society. The legal system before and after the American Revolution, denied women the opportunity to participate in active politics. Despite their role in the war, women continued to be undermined politically, as they could not vote. Ideological and religious notions were used to justify the alienation of women’s right to participate in active politics. For instance, the Republicans asserted that the attributes of bravery, independence, physical strength and self-reliance were exclusively masculine virtues. As such, women had to be dependent on men in every aspect. The religious convention also supported the view that women were the weaker sex. The religious notions suggested that women were enslaved to their passions and their sexual desires, and as such, they were generally irrational. Even in the 20 th century, American women were still confined to domestic roles. This limited their potential to actively participate in the country’s politics. To date, women still account for a small proportion of the political leaders in the United States. 

Bibliography 

Ginzberg, Lori D.  Women and the work of benevolence: Morality, politics, and class in the nineteenth-century United States . Yale University Press, 1992. 

Messner, Michael A. "“Changing men” and feminist politics in the United States."  Theory and society  22.5 (1993): 723-737. 

Baker, Paula. "The domestication of politics: Women and American political society, 1780-1920."  American Historical Review  89.3 (1984): 620-647. 

Kerber, Linda K. "Separate spheres, female worlds, woman's place: The rhetoric of women's history."  The journal of american history  75.1 (1988): 9-39. 

McCall, Leslie, and Ann Shola Orloff. "The multidimensional politics of inequality: taking stock of identity politics in the US Presidential election of 2016."  The British journal of sociology 68 (2017): S34-S56. 

1 Ginzberg, Lori D.  Women and the work of benevolence: Morality, politics, and class in the nineteenth-century United States . Yale University Press, 1992. 

2 Ginzberg, Lori D.  Women and the work of benevolence: Morality, politics, and class in the nineteenth-century United States . Yale University Press, 1992. 

3 Ginzberg, Lori D.  Women and the work of benevolence: 

4 Messner, Michael A. "“Changing men” and feminist politics in the United States."  Theory and society  22.5 (1993): 723-737. 

5 Kerber, Linda K. "Separate spheres, female worlds, woman's place: The rhetoric of women's history."  The journal of american history  75.1 (1988): 9-39. 

6 Kerber, Linda K. "Separate spheres, female worlds, woman's place… 

7 Baker, Paula. "The domestication of politics: Women and American political society, 1780-1920."  American Historical Review  89.3 (1984): 620-647. 

8 Baker, Paula. "The domestication of politics: Women and American political society, 1780-1920."  American Historical Review  89.3 (1984): 620-647. 

9 McCall, Leslie, and Ann Shola Orloff. "The multidimensional politics of inequality: taking stock of identity politics in the US Presidential election of 2016."  The British journal of sociology 68 (2017): S34-S56. 

10 McCall, Leslie, and Ann Shola Orloff. "The multidimensional politics of inequality…