Skip to main content

How We Present the Political Gender Gap Matters

World News

Submitted by Project Coordinator on
Back

How We Present the Political Gender Gap Matters

Source: Psychology Today

Debbie Peterson

Reframing the ratio of women in government affects attitudes and action.

Gender disparity in political leadership is seldom cast as the overrepresentation of men (71 percent in the United States and worldwide). Rather, in public discourse, the gender imbalance in positions of power is framed as the underrepresentation of women. Social psychologists at the New York University Social Perception, Action, and Motivation Lab find in their 2024 study, "Women underrepresented or men overrepresented?" Framing the gender gap in political leadership as "men's overrepresentation" heightens emotional reactions and motivates efforts for change. 

Read More here.

News
Region
Partner
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Focus areas
The darker the blue, the higher the ratio of women in political leadership. The darkest orange represents the lowest ratio.Source: United Nations/UN Women
Debbie Peterson

Reframing the ratio of women in government affects attitudes and action.

Gender disparity in political leadership is seldom cast as the overrepresentation of men (71 percent in the United States and worldwide). Rather, in public discourse, the gender imbalance in positions of power is framed as the underrepresentation of women. Social psychologists at the New York University Social Perception, Action, and Motivation Lab find in their 2024 study, "Women underrepresented or men overrepresented?" Framing the gender gap in political leadership as "men's overrepresentation" heightens emotional reactions and motivates efforts for change. 

Read More here.

News
Region
Partner
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Focus areas