LGBTQ+ activists and supporters hold a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it hears arguments in major LGBTQ+ rights case on On October 8, 2019
Is there a gap in political leadership between sexual minority individuals and the heterosexual majority? What about women versus their male counterparts?
In today’s political landscape, the journey towards ascending to political positions of prominence for women and sexual minorities has multifaceted challenges. Despite advancements in gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights in the United States and United Kingdom, the path to leadership is filled with cultural, societal, and systemic barriers. From gender biases to discrimination based on sexual orientation, the struggle is reflective of societal disparities.
Lack of representation
From the local to the global level, women’s leadership and political participation are restricted. Women are underrepresented as voters, as well as in leading positions. Although women make up the majority of the U.S. population, 51%, as of 2024 they hold only about 28.2% of elected congressional offices, and just 32.8% of the state legislature (CAWP, 2024). Figure 1 below provides data on the percentage of women officeholders at the congressional, statewide elective executive, and state legislative levels from 1971 to present. As you can see, there has been a gradual increase from 1971-2024, however, the amount of women in executive positions is still the minority percentage.
Percentages of Women in Elective Office 1971-Present
Figure 1: Center for American Women and Politics (2024)
A similar trend occurs in the UK with 53% of the population being women, but only 32% of members in the House of Commons and Lords are women (see Figure 2). As of January 10, 2024, there are only 26 countries where women serve as Heads of State. At the current rate, a report from the United Nations estimates that gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years (UN Women, 2023). This is a jarring statistic as women have fearlessly fought to achieve equality for hundreds of years.
Number of members in Parliament that identify as male vs. female
Figure 2: House of Commons Library (2024)
Not only is there striking gender inequality in roles of political leadership, but queer people lack proper representation. Roughly 7% of Americans identify as LGBTQ+, but less than a quarter of one percent of elected officials across all levels of the American government identify as a part of the community (Smith, 2023). There are more than 500,000 elected officials in the U.S. As of 2023, 1,185 elected officials are known LGBTQ+ people, and 90% of these officials work at the local level (see Figure 3). More than 36,000 queer politicians would need to be in office to achieve equitable representation in the United States.
Number of American elected officials identifying as LGBTQ+ from 2017-2023
Figure 3: Governing, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute (Smith, 2023)
American scholars Gabriele Magni and Andrew Reynolds find that voters in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand penalize queer candidates to varying degrees, with penalties strongest in the states. Their research shows that compared to their straight counterparts, gay candidates face penalties of 6.7 percentage points in the U.S., 4.6 in the U.K., and 3.3 in New Zealand (Magni and Reynold, 2021). For lesbians and transgender candidates, the voter penalty and discrimination is even higher.
Reading for political suppression of minorities
The lack of political leadership among women and sexual minorities serves as a stark reminder of the systemic barriers entrenched within our societal frameworks. While strides have been made in advancing gender and LGBTQ+ rights, political influence remains predominantly occupied by heterosexual men. Members of social minorities often face obstacles that hinder their political participation, leading to lower levels of political engagement.
The 2023 UNDP’s Gender Social Norms Index underscores the significant obstacles women confront in realizing their potential in positions of power. These are largely attributable to deeply entrenched social norms. Nearly half of the world’s population believe men make better political leaders than women (Yeshaneh, 2023). Stereotypes such as these create barriers for women to participate equally in government institutions. Women are less encouraged to run for office than men, and voter and party biases prevent them from succeeding. Furthermore, due to the longstanding gender wage gap, women typically lack the financial ability to start a campaign. To counteract this inequality, countries such as the U.K. have adopted measures such as quotas, affirmative action and other provisions to increase women’s representation in parliament.
Protestor holding a sign at the United States Women’s March on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22, 2024
Right-wing voters in America have a high rate of discrimination against queer candidates. This leads many candidates to not announce their sexuality during their campaign or wait until they are elected to come out publicly. This fosters an environment that is hostile to queer politicians and limits LGBTQ+ representation in government. The wave of discriminatory legislation, violent rhetoric, and hate crimes targeting the LGBT+ community also contribute to their lack of political engagement.
The future of women and LGBT+ people in politics
The march towards equal political participation has been agonizingly slow. Women leaders make for more equal and caring societies. Their policies prioritize issues that benefit the most vulnerable in society, such as healthcare, welfare, and education. On average, it is found that women also work harder than men to represent their constituencies, which leads to responsive and transparent governance (Yeshaneh, 2023). Additionally, states where women hold more political power are less likely to go to war and commit human rights abuses.
According to a report from the Human Rights Campaign, LGBTQ+ Americans are projected to become one of the fastest growing voting blocs in the country (Human Rights Campaign, 2022). This report offers an analysis of data that by 2030 approximately one-in-seven voters will be LGBTQ+. Nearing one-in-five voters by 2040, this voting bloc will emerge as among one of the most influential voting constituencies in the United States. The scale, scope, and speed at which this voting bloc is growing has the power to fundamentally reshape the American electoral landscape. The impact of LGBTQ+ voters is projected to be most significant in areas where independent and swing voters have the most sway. Additionally, queer voters have the possibility of tipping the scales in “red” states that are on the cusp of no longer being categorized as reliably “red”.
Participants marching during LA Pride Parade in California on June 9, 2019
The participation of women and LGBTQ+ people in political leadership roles and electoral processes helps build stronger democracies. I believe that the future for women and queer people in politics is bright! I look forward to seeing the future of more inclusive political leadership.
Reference List
Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) (2024) Women in Elective Office 2024. Available at: https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/current-numbers/women-elective-office-2024 (Accessed: 15 March 2024).
Human Rights Campaign (2022) Equality Electorate: The Projected Growth of the LGBTQ+
Voting Bloc in Coming Years. Available at: https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/LGBTQ-VEP-Oct-2022.pdf (Accessed: 13 March 2024).
Magni, G. and Reynolds, A. (2021) ‘Voter Preferences and the Political Underrepresentation of Minority Groups: Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Candidates in Advanced Democracies’, Journal of Politics, 83(4), pp. 1199–1215. Available at: doi:10.1086/712142.
Smith, Carl. (2023) Being Seen: A Count of LGBTQ+ Elected Officials. Available at: https://www.governing.com/next/being-seen-a-count-of-lgbtq-elected-officials (Accessed: 15 March 2024).
UK Parliament (2024) Women in Politics and Public Life. Available at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn01250 (Accessed: 15 March 2024).
UN Women (2023) Facts and figures: Women’s leadership and political participation. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures (Accessed: 15 March 2024).
Yeshaneh, M. (2023) We must dismantle barriers to women’s political participation. Here’s why. Available at: https://www.undp.org/blog/we-must-dismantle-barriers-womens-political-participation-heres-why (Accessed: 18 March 2024).