2017 Midwest Sociological Society Presidential Address: Trump’s Election, Women’s Marches, and the Enduring Quest for Gender Equity in Politics

ABSTRACT

Women are vastly underrepresented in U.S. elected offices. The United States lags behind most countries in women’s representation—a primary reason being their scarcity as candidates. Past research has focused on barriers that kept women from running. I call attention to what motivates them to run. Women’s political engagement increased following Trump’s election, and was visibly demonstrated at the Women’s March on Washington and sister marches. Organizations such as EMILY’s List that support women candidates report record numbers of women poised to run. I draw parallels through media accounts of women marchers and those preparing to run, to gain insight into ways that our current political climate is shaping women’s political participation.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• elections
• women candidates
• 2016 US presidential Election
• political mobilization

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Deborah White

Deborah White is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Minnesota State University Moorhead and coordinator of NEW Leadership Northern Lights, a public leadership program for women that she established in 2001 in partnership with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. NEW Leadership Northern Lights is a partner in the National Education for Women’s Leadership (NEW Leadership^TM) Development Network.