Studies have shown that Utah is considered to be the worst state for women’s political participation. One finding that supports this is the number of women in elected positions. In Utah, only 13.3% of state representatives are female. Worse, 0% of elected executive offices are held by women. Not having women in politics is an issue we don’t talk about enough.
Having adequate representation in government is a serious problem; after all, the entire reason the American Revolution was fought was that colonists felt they lacked the representation they needed and that their rights were infringed upon. In the case of the modern-day American woman, if we wait until we feel our rights have been significantly infringed upon, it may be too late. It is far too easy to lose every right that we have gained. For example, even though Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, there are states writing laws that slowly chip away at this right. This is a slippery slope that could lead to women having other reproductive rights taken away, like the right to birth control and other contraception. Beyond reproductive rights, women disproportionately face issues including domestic violence, economic inequality, revenge porn, constitutional inequality, work-family balance, rape, the pink tax, and many others. These are all issues that could be more quickly solved or mitigated with legislation. However, to get legislation we need people who care and face those issues themselves. We need women in office.
The point of this article is not to debate abortion, it is to point out that women need representation in any place where decisions are being made. So if you’ve never considered running for an elected position, consider it now because we need your voice. If you have considered running but feel unsure, I have confidence in you so please try. If you’re certain you will run for office someday, thank you.