The US political sphere is quickly gaining a new— and much more diverse— look. This past midterm election was historic for many reasons, boasting more women elected to Congressional seats than ever before: 13 in the Senate and 102 in the house! Not only is this impressive in the sheer number of female winnings, but the overall makeup of these new-elects is anything but stereotypical in terms of previous representation.
Image from Huffington Post.
Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids are the very first Native American women to ever be elected to Congress (ironic that the very people who lived here first are among the last to be represented). Muslim women will now also be represented for the first time, by representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
Image from NBC News.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Abby Finkenauer are the youngest female lawmakers to serve, representing an entire generation of new and very concerned voters.
Image from Washington Post.
This wave of women has been a long time coming–and it likely won’t stop here. According to a study published by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers, “the number of women serving in state legislatures has more than quintupled” since 1971. By showing that the systematic barriers that prevent women from gaining high offices can be broken, others are more likely to pursue the positions that make them passionate, as well.
Image from Huffington Post.
Sameha Haque, a young Muslim woman with an interest in politics, remarked that “Seeing women of different ethnicities, different religions [being elected into office] is so empowering. It tells me that I can do something of this magnitude one day, too. That the color of my skin or my religion won’t bar me from accomplishing my dreams or fulfilling my potential.”
Image from The Cut.
Only time will tell how this change affects the contents and intentions of our laws. Even with these gains, there is still certainly a long ways to go in order to get a fully representative legislative body. However, with more women who look and talk and think like us, we can know a change is coming.