A survey released Tuesday by Georgetown University shows nearly 1 in 8 Americans believe men are “better suited emotionally” than women to serve in political positions.
The survey, entitled “May the best woman win? Education and bias against women in American politics,” found about 13 percent of Americans still think men are better suited to handle political positions than woman, a statistic that comes during a time of high female participation in the political system.
Of the 19 candidates for the Democratic nomination for president, six of them are women. Meanwhile, the 116th Congress also has the highest percentage of women in its ranks in history.
“Bias against women in politics has been on the decline over the past four decades. That’s a good sign for the women throwing their hats in the ring for the 2020 election. But in races as close as those of the recent past, even a small bias can make a big difference,” the survey’s analysis said. “[Women] who run for office still start with a 13 percent deficit compared to men. The role that sexism plays in politics is shrinking, but it’s still too substantial to ignore.”
The analysis notes the 13 percent figure is the lowest a survey of its kind has ever registered. In 1975, a similar survey found that 50 percent of Americans felt that men were better suited than women to serve in politics.
