John,
According to a report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which focused on the international implications of the pandemic on women’s political inclusion, a number of risks could lead to further alienation of women in our political system. Perhaps the most prominent for our country are decreased public visibility of women, increasing economic insecurity, and a return to traditional gender roles.
We’re already seeing these negative effects play out: women have lost their jobs at disproportionately higher rates than men throughout the pandemic, and many have had to make the decision to exit the labor force to meet childcare or household needs. And despite the fact that women are on the front lines of our health care response to the coronavirus, they have been largely excluded from federal decision-making on the pandemic.
Despite these challenges, we’ve seen women rise, not falter, in the last year. In crisis, women have led the fight for families, economic relief, racial justice, and voting rights. It is because of their tireless dedication to improving this country that we are hopeful for our future.
But that is still a future we must create. Right now, we want to ensure that we break the additional barriers the pandemic will pose for women in politics -- and we need your input. You know the first step to addressing an issue is recognizing the issue exists to begin with. Please, tell us simply:
Do you support gender equality in government?
Thank you so much for taking our poll today.
