The feminization of politics
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 10:47AM 
That picture of all the women in the US Congress (taken on the steps at the start of each 2-year session, very posed) gets bigger every time. Europe (and especially the Nordics) beat us hand down - us being the collective United States. But the real way to compare the US and Europe is to compare us in chunks with the corresponding chunks in Europe. So we have our Mediterranean types (South) and we have our Nordics (Northern Midwest and New England) and so on.
Thus, no surprise to read how New Hampshire is setting US standard for state almost exclusively headed by women (two US congressional seats, both US Senate seats, plus governor and speaker of house and chief justice of state too).
You can see this trend coming many miles away by enrollment in US law schools and grad schools in general.
Then there's the general demographic advantage (better health deeper into lives and longer lives in general).
By the time I die (hopefully late in the century ...), I expect politics to be a predominantly female occupation.
And yes, we will be the better for it. More analytical, easier compromisers, less given to unreasonable stands.
I say, bring it on ladies, because we are suffering the political leadership we have in this country.
Women will process the BS faster - you know, the stuff that's going to happen and gets interminably drawn out.
I remember coming to Harvard in 1984 and they were still fighting divestiture on South Africa, which my undergrad school, Wisconsin, had knocked in about an afternoon several years earlier. Harvard thought it was so cutting edge, but it was VERY male dominated (not sure about today). Wisconsin? Less so.
So no surprise that New Hampshire has already dealt with gay marriage (and held off a repeal effort - truly impressive).
If the US is going to get its progressive era started and then processed with all speed, more women need to be at the helm. So this is how I vote.
Reader Comments (2)
In Pasadena my two Senators, Congressional Rep, and State Senator are all women. City Council Rep, too.
As a woman, forgive me for being biased but I do agree that in order to have progress, women should be given equal opportunities when it comes to leadership positions. If men thought that women would only be liabilities especially when we seem to be more emotional, that would really be an unfair judgment.