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SACRAMENTO — Men have long outnumbered women in the California Legislature, even in a state known for enacting the nation’s first progressive laws and leading the way on reproductive rights.
The male-dominated culture on Capitol Hill was evident as hundreds of women spoke out about sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement. Then shocking images emerged of a masked lawmaker carrying a newborn into the chamber in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic after a request to work remotely after giving birth was denied.
The first time women were allowed to wear pants in the Senate chamber was in 1989, after a fed-up lawmaker violated the Capitol’s dress code on a cold day in Sacramento.
But now, with voters electing a record number of women to Congress, gender parity in the California State Capitol is closer than ever. When the members are sworn in on December 2nd, women will hold 59 of the 120 seats in parliament.
“Women have an opportunity to exercise power in ways they haven’t before,” said Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap California, which works to elect progressive women. “There is a difference between policy talk and good policy that is actually vetted by those affected. Women have a track record of strong listening and delivering comprehensive and responsive solutions. .”
The new record of 49% of parliamentary seats held by women represents a significant increase over the past decade. According to the Center for American Women’s Politics, women make up nearly 31% of California’s statehouses in 2020, up from 25% in 2016. In 1980, only 9% of California legislators were women.
For years, California has lagged behind other states, including Nevada, Arizona and Colorado, when it comes to legislative gender equality.
The changes in Sacramento have been fueled in part by this year’s major turnover in the Legislature, creating new opportunities for candidates to run without running against incumbents. More than a dozen of the newly elected women won seats previously held by men, but many were forced to resign due to term limits.
This comes after a majority of Californians voted for Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Trump, still reeling from the loss of what could have been the first female president of the United States. Some people are.
Sade El-Hawley, a freshman Democratic congressman from South Los Angeles who will replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, will meet in a special legislative session in Sacramento next month to devise new ways to protect the state from the virus. She is one of a record number of women. President Trump’s federal policy.
She pointed to Trump’s history of sexual misconduct allegations, including a jury finding him responsible for sex abuse against advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, which Trump called ” “This is a fabricated and fabricated story,” he said.
“Women in Congress will be on the very front lines to hold President Trump accountable and protect Californians from anything that could happen. I think we have to suit up,” El-Hawley said. Ta. “We still really suffer from the evils of sexism.”
Democrats celebrate gender advancement as a way to further secure liberal priorities like abortion rights, but so do Republicans.
Former Rep. Suzette Validares, who is replacing Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Saugus) when her term expired in the Santa Clarita Valley Senate seat, said working mothers like her are paying less for Californians’ cost of living. He said he was in a position to address the growing concerns. We will adjust it to fit your household budget and childcare fees.
“When I served in the House, we had a truly bipartisan women’s caucus. We made a conscious effort to support each other’s bills,” she said. “I think it will produce some great policies.”
It is difficult to say whether parliamentary changes will produce concrete reforms. California has already passed equal pay laws to close the pay gap between men and women more than most states, and has the strictest sexual consent requirements.
But some of the Legislative Women’s Caucus’ priorities have stalled as California faces a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. That includes a bill to expand medical diaper coverage, which Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year over cost concerns.
Marva Diaz, a political strategist who mainly represents female candidates, said that despite the Democratic Party’s crushing defeat nationwide in this election, President Trump’s strategy of appealing to young men has led to He said identity politics remains important to his campaign.
“You recognize that you’re different and that you’re missing at certain tables. We need more female CEOs. We need more women in the business sector. ” Diaz said. “I think we’re going to need women in Congress to move this forward.”
The California Legislative Women’s Caucus was formed in 1985, and its founding members include Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, a pioneering and powerful congressman, and the first woman elected to the state senate, who rings the bell every time. Includes Rose Ann Vitch, who is known for ringing. Her colleagues on Capitol Hill called the lawmaker a “gentleman.”
State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) made history in 2018 when she became the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to become California Senate Majority Leader. She was the first woman to serve as speaker of both chambers of the state legislature and also served as speaker of the legislature.
She is currently one of three women who have announced their candidacy for the 2026 gubernatorial race.
Only a man has served as governor of California. Atkins said it’s too early for voters to put a woman in the state’s highest office, and not just for representation purposes.
“I think it’s important to have women in this race. I actually think it’s different for women to govern,” Atkins said. “I think we’re thinking about the bigger picture.”
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