Critical Mass Claims and Ideological Divides Among Women in the U.S. House of Representatives

Abstract

Critical mass theories predict that women in government will sponsor and vote for more women and feminist bills as their numbers increase. Using Voteview.com data of roll-call votes measuring left–right ideology from 1977 to 2019 this paper shows that ideological divides among women in the U.S. House of Representatives have deepened rather than veered in a liberal direction. Republican women have moved rightward over time and more conservative ones are winning elections. Belonging to a politicized generation, older Silent Generation and Boomer women are more ideologically extreme than younger women. Parties are also elevating their more ideological female members. As their numbers increase, female House members are expected to remain ideologically diverse in a polarized legislative environment. Critical mass theories are deficient in failing to place female political actors in a dynamic workplace.

Closing the Gap: An Analysis of Women's Representation in State Legislatures and the Gender Pay Gap

“…First, these findings also speak to research on critical mass theories. Previous research finds mixed evidence in support of this theory (Bouché and Wittmer 2015; Tate and Arend 2022). Our findings suggest at least in the policy area of the gender wage gap there is some evidence to support the notion that an increase in women lawmakers, regardless of partisanship, results in better policy outcomes for women.…”

Partisanship, Independence, and the Constitutive Representation of Women in the Canadian Senate

“…Other studies have also shown that left-wing parties are more likely to advance gender equality and advocate for marginalized groups (Kittilson 2011;Sevincer et al 2023;Wagner 2019). Women's interests have traditionally been viewed as progressive feminist interests, but women legislators can hold diverse ideological standpoints (Tate and Arend 2022). Both feminist and traditionalist claims to represent women's interests have been made by parties on the ideological left and right (Celis and Erzeel 2013;Childs and Webb 2012;Erzeel and Celis 2016).…”