| Abstract | This study focuses on the role and influence of women in the U.S. Congress. Specifically, I examine the effect women legislators had on male legislators' support of women's issues in the 102nd Congress (1991-1993) through the 112th Congress (2011-2013). There has been a significant increase in the proportion of women representatives between the 102nd and 112th Congress. Not only are women increasing in sheer numbers, but they are also establishing seniority, serving as role models and engaging in policy making. The implications of women's increased presence in Congress must be explored. A better understanding of the individual-level influence that women exert will lead to a better understanding of the way women change Congress as a whole. Using an ordinary least squares regression model, this study examines the role that the increase of women has played on the voting patterns of male legislators who were present in the 102nd Congress through the 112th Congress, while controlling for other factors that impact voting decisions. The results of this study indicate that as more women are elected to the U.S. Congress, not only are we likely to see the policy output of Congress change, individual male legislators become more supportive of women's issues. The presence of women in Congress, even while controlling for individual partisanship and ideology, has a positive impact on males' support for women's issues. |
