Women Have Ruled Democracies Worldwide, Yet US Voters Pass on Two – What Will It Take for a Female President?

The recent re-election of Donald Trump guarantees that the United States will not see a female president in the immediate future, despite nearly a third of countries globally having elected women into such positions. “It absolutely will happen,” remarked Jean Sinzdak, associate director of the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics, affirming the gradual nature of this shift.

Claudia Sheinbaum was inaugurated as Mexico’s first female president last month. The list of female leaders also includes trailblazers like Margaret Thatcher, who served as Britain’s prime minister from 1979 to 1990, and Angela Merkel, the first female chancellor of Germany, who held power from 2005 to 2021. Indira Gandhi in India and Golda Meir in Israel further illustrate the global movement toward female leadership.

According to political scientist Kim Fridkin from Arizona State University, the United States lags significantly compared to other nations. She noted that while the road to a female presidency appears long, women are increasingly succeeding in state-level offices.

Of the current 193 UN member nations, 13 are led by women, with nine of these leaders recently inaugurated. A Pew Research study indicates that, since 1960, women have helmed 60 nations at some point.

The U.S. has seen 45 male presidents since George Washington began his term in 1789. Trump’s continuation of this trend as the 47th president highlights the challenges women face in gaining high political office. It wasn’t until 2016 that a major American political party nominated a woman for president.

Hillary Clinton’s attempts in 2008 and 2016 illustrated the difficulties faced by female candidates. In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro made history as the first major party’s female vice presidential nominee, although the ticket did not succeed. In 2008, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin ran alongside John McCain, and Kamala Harris became the first female vice president in 2020.

Among the G7 countries, five have managed to appoint female heads of government. The U.S. and Japan remain exceptions. In the broader G20 group, 14 nations have elected women as leaders, with notable names including Argentina, Brazil, and India.

Sinzdak notes that cultural factors play a significant role in these disparities, advocating for greater support for women’s advancement in politics. Karen Beckwith from Case Western Reserve University underlines the differences between parliamentary and presidential systems, suggesting that the U.S. model may hinder female leadership potential.

The U.S. Senate has seen only 60 women serve since its inception, with 25 currently in office. Although progress is evident, the rate of change suggests that achieving gender parity in Congress could take decades.

Arizona’s history of electing women to significant office contrasts with national trends. The state has witnessed several women in top positions, including the “Fab Five” in 1998. However, political analyst Paul Bentz indicated that Harris’s campaign faced distinct challenges beyond gender. Her strategic choices and negative perceptions played significant roles in her struggles.

Fridkin pointed out that women in politics often navigate a tightrope, needing to project competence while adhering to societal expectations. The media’s portrayal of female candidates often highlights inherent biases, as exemplified by a recent comedic reflection on Harris’s laugh versus Trump’s flaws.

Beyond politics, the gender gap persists in sectors such as corporate leadership, where only 10% of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies are women. Despite Harris’s setbacks, Sinzdak remains optimistic, believing her visibility in political leadership normalizes the idea of women in high office. “Women are simply part of the presidential election process now,” she concluded.