THE FUSE

Psychologists and demographic statisticians at Tulane University's Newcomb Institute note that women in the United States are underrepresented in elected office compared with their male counterparts, even though women register to vote and vote at higher rates than men. When elected, women achieve more legislatively because they introduce and enact bills more often than male legislators. Female representatives are more likely to build legislation on key areas affecting women and families such as childcare, health care, paid family leave, and sexual harassment in the workplace, and are more likely to support health, reproductive rights, child needs, and prevention programming.