Womens efforts to gain political, economic, and social equality in America are as old as the United States, itself

The Labor Force

1950

2001 Growth in 50 YearsPercent Women

30 %

67 %

37 percentage pointsin Labor Force

Percent Women

Earn for Doing the

59

73

14 percentage pointsSame Job as Men

Source: Frey, William H., Bill Abresch and Jonathan Yeasting. (2001) America by the Numbers, New York: New Press.

Why Have Women Joined the Labor Force?

World War IIEarly Baby BoomLate Baby Boom

MARRIAGE PATTERNS

Percent Married

Women 77 % 64 % 60 %

Men776454

CHILD REARING PATTERNS

Percent without Children (women)193033

EDUCATION PATTERNS

Percent with College Degree(s)

Women122123

Men192624

Source: Bianchi, Suzanne. (1995) Changing Economic Roles of Women and Men, In R. Farley (ed.) State of the Union: America in the 1990s, New York: Russell Sage Foundation.Professional Degrees Conferred to Women

197019801990

Percent of Degrees Conferred to Women in:

Law 5 % 30 % 41 %

Medicine8 2333

Dentistry11326

Business42234

Source: Bianchi, Suzanne. (1995) Changing Economic Roles of Women and Men, In R. Farley (ed.) State of the Union: America in the 1990s, New York: Russell Sage Foundation.Major Occupation Groups, by Percentage Women197019801990

Private Household Occupations 96 % 95 % 95 %

Administrative Support / Clerical737777

Service Jobs616363

Professional Specialty444954

Sales414949

Managers / Executives193142

Technicians344446

Machine Operators404140

Farming, Forestry, Fishing 91516

Percent Women in Labor Force384346

Source: Bianchi, Suzanne. (1995) Changing Economic Roles of Women and Men, In R. Farley (ed.) State of the Union: America in the 1990s, New York: Russell Sage Foundation.Household Division of Labor (General Population)

Men

WomenNot Married / Not Living With Partner

21 %

26%Responsible for All Household Tasks

4

11

Responsible for Most Household Tasks

7

35Equal Division of Labor in Household

24

21Spouse / Partner Responsible for Most

36

4Household Tasks

Spouse / Partner Responsible for All

5

0Household Tasks

Other arrangements

2

2SAMPLE SIZE

1,015

1,104Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. (2002) Knowledge Networks Survey. Conducted September 1 30.Child Care Arrangements (General Population)

Percentages are Based on Sub-Sample of Respondents with Children Living at Home

Men

WomenResponsible for All Child Care Tasks

7 %

33 %

Responsible for Most Child Care Tasks

2

23Equal Division of Child Care Tasks

35

26Spouse / Partner Responsible for Most

32

0Child Care Tasks

Spouse / Partner Responsible for All

16

2Child Care Tasks

Other arrangements

7

16Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. (2002) Knowledge Networks Survey. Conducted September 1 30.Household Division of Labor (Professional Elite Sample)

Men

WomenNot Married / Not Living With Partner

11 %

26%

Responsible for All Household Tasks

1

5

Responsible for Most Household Tasks

4

29

Equal Division of Labor in Household

31

30

Spouse / Partner Responsible for Most

48

8

Household Tasks

Spouse / Partner Responsible for All

5

0

Household Tasks

Other arrangements

1

1

Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. and Richard L. Fox. (2002) The Citizen Political Ambition Study.

Child Care Arrangements (Professional Elite Sample)

Percentages are Based on Sub-Sample of Respondents with Children Living at Home

Men

WomenResponsible for All Child Care Tasks

2 %

23 %

Responsible for Most Child Care Tasks

3

34Equal Division of Child Care Tasks

35

35Spouse / Partner Responsible for Most

46

6Child Care Tasks

Spouse / Partner Responsible for All

14

1

Child Care Tasks

Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. and Richard L. Fox. (2002) The Citizen Political Ambition Study.

Generation X versus Baby Boom Attitudes about Womens Roles

Percent Answering Yes

Generation X MenGeneration X WomenBaby Boom MenBaby Boom Women

Is it more important for a wife to help her husbands career than have a career for herself? 20 % 13 % 17 % 16 %

Is it better for everyone involved if the man is the achiever outside of the home and the woman takes care of the home and the family?29183223

Is a preschool child likely to suffer if his/her mother works outside the home?47274634

Can a working mother establish just as secure and warm a relationship with her children as a mother who does not work?69806179

Source: Farley, Reynolds. (1996) The New American Reality, New York: Russell Sage Foundation.Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections

WomenMen

1964 67 % 72 %

19686670

19726264

19765960

19805959

19846159

19885856

19926260

19965653

20005653

Note: In each year, the total number of women voters was greater than the total number of men who cast a ballot. In 2000, the difference was approximately 7.8 million. Source: Center for American Women and Politics. (2002) Sex Differences in Voter Turnout.

Voter Turnout in Off-Year Elections

WomenMen

1966 53 % 58 %

19705357

19744346

19784547

19824848

19864646

19904545

19944544

19984241

Note: In each year, the total number of women voters was greater than the total number of men who cast a ballot. In 2000, the difference was approximately 4.4 million. Source: Center for American Women and Politics. (2002) Sex Differences in Voter Turnout.

The Gender Gap: Candidate Preferences

Which candidates did voters favor?

WomenMen

2000 Election

George Bush 43 % 53 %

Al Gore5442

1996 Election

Bob Dole3844

Bill Clinton5443

Ross Perot 710

1992 Election

George Bush3738

Bill Clinton4541

Ross Perot1721

1988 Election

George Bush5057

Michael Dukakis4942

1984 Election

Ronald Reagan5462

Walter Mondale4638

1980 Election

Ronald Reagan4753

Jimmy Carter4235

John Anderson 9 9

Source: Voter News Service (for 1992 2000); ABC News / Washington Post (for 1980 1988). The Gender Gap: Attitudes on Public Policy Issues

Men

WomenBelieve the government does

66 %

50 %

too much.Would prefer a smaller government

67

55

providing fewer services than a bigger government providing more services.Favor cutting spending on social

60

47

programs.

Think poverty and homelessness

44

63

are among the most important problems facing the country.Favor raising the minimum wage.

72

83

Think we should abolish affirmative

52

36

action programs.Source: Center for American Women and Politics. (2002) The Gender Gap.Men and Womens Attitudes About War

Do you favor or oppose . . .FavorOpposeUnsure

The U.S. declaring war on Iraq?

Men

Women 45 %29 32 %33 23 %37

Even if means sending in

250,000 ground troops? Men

Women40

2434

3825

38

Even if it means occupying

Iraq for as long as 5 years?

Men

Women44

2429

3827

37

Declaring war on nations suspected of harboring terrorists?

Men

Women56

4221

2323

35

Capturing and executing foreign leaders who harbor terrorists?

Men

Women57

4622

2022

34

Torturing suspected terrorists to gain information about future attacks?

Men

Women38

2441

4321

33

Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. (2002) Knowledge Networks Survey. Conducted September 1 30.

Percentages of Women in Elective Offices: 1979 2002U.S. CongressState LegislaturesGovernor

1979 3 % 10 % 4 %

1981 412 0

1983 413 0

1985 515 2

1987 516 4

1989 517 6

1991 618 6

19931021 6

19951021 2

19971122 2

19991223 8

2002142210

Source: Center for American Women and Politics. (2002) Women in Elective Office Fact Sheet.

Women Candidates for U.S. House Seats: 1976 - 2000TotalRepublicanDemocrat

1976542034

1978461927

1980522527

1982552827

1984653530

1986643430

1988592633

1990693039

19921063670

19941124072

1996 *1204277

1998

1214675

20001224280

* One Independent ran.

Source: Center for American Women and Politics. (2002) Women Candidates Fact Sheet.

Attitudes about Women Entering the Electoral Arena

Total MenWomen

Believe that men are better suited emotionally than women for politics

26 % 34 % 19 %

Believe that men tend to be more qualified than women to hold elective office

202713

Believe it would not be a good idea if more women held elective office

283620

Would be willing to vote for a woman president if she were qualified and were nominated by the respondents political party

655870

Sample Size2,1191,0151,104

Source: Lawless, Jennifer L. (2002) Knowledge Networks Survey. Conducted September 1 30.

Should Women Run the County??? Do you agree or disagree with this statement: Women should take care of running their homes and leave running the country up to men.

Percent in Agreement1970

33 %

1975

35

1980

28

1985

26

1990

20

1995

16

Source: National Opinion Research Center.