The Upcoming Election and an Update about the Girls Advisory Council

Thanks for checking out our blog again this week!  This week, in honor of the upcoming election, I'm going to talk about women in politics and the importance of voting.  I will also talk about a very important piece of GAC news! 

Over the past century, the role of women in the government has increased tremendously.  Women went from being confined solely to the home to being able to run for public office and government positions.  We now have women who hold very important cabinet positions and are the leaders of their parties in Congress.  Women have also been continuing to increase their power and influence in many parts of foreign governments.  This progress has been great, but unfortunately, women still do not hold even close to their fair share of government positions.

Women only hold 90 out of 535 seats in the House of Representatives (16.8%) and 17 out of 100 seats in the Senate (17%).  Considering the fact that women make up 51% of the US population, why aren't these percentages greater?  Women have been put at a disadvantage for centuries and many people still believe that women are inferior to men and cannot perform the same tasks as men.  This belief has made it more difficult for women to be elected to office, no matter what their credentials.  Right now in the government, a majority of men are making choices for women, and the only way to stop this is to elect more women into the US government.

With this year's election so near, it is important to get out and vote!  Everyone has an opinion regarding the election and the candidates, so in order to have your voice heard, go to your local polling place and cast your ballot.  For decades, women fought to earn the right to vote, so use that right and vote this November 6th.  Your vote could make a difference.

And now for the exciting news from the Girls Advisory Council:  Kiersten, Keyanna, and I are going to be on Nickelodeon's Nick News in March!  The episode will focus on women's rights, and we were asked to appear on the show to talk our experience lobbying Congress in Washington DC.  In our interviews, we spoke about the history of the Equal Rights Amendment and what it would change, if passed.  It was an amazing experience and we are very thankful that Nick News allowed us to share our story with others.

Thanks for reading and make sure you check back again next week for another post.  Happy voting!

-Devon Hartsough