Where are the Girls in Government?

In the past year, events like the Women’s March and the #MeToo movement have brought women’s rights issues to the forefront of national politics. However, female legislators are still being left in the shadows of the political world, even in local government.

The statistics may seem disparaging for women seeking to join the world of Utah politics. According to Utah’s official website, just 14 of 75 members of the Utah House of Representatives are women; 6 of 29 state senators are women.

Females are similarly underrepresented in the judicial branch, with only one woman serving on the Utah Supreme Court.

Even once they are elected, those few women in Utah’s government face unique challenges.

“I think there’s an avoidance to talk to me, sometimes, about serious things” says Representative Elizabeth Weight, who serves on the Utah House of Representatives. “You can also be disregarded for being too pushy or having an attitude. So people, including other women, will just avoid you. The men can be disregarded too, but not in the way that women can.”

Orem city’s government also struggles with equal representation. Currently, Debby Lauret is Orem’s only female city councilor. Just two of Orem’s 22 previous mayors have been women—that’s 9%.

For comparison, City Councilor Lauret says, “Last time I checked, Orem was 51.8% female. So, I’d like to see us get to the point where [the government] is 50/50, or at least a third women.”

Cultural stigma may play a part in dissuading women from running for office. “Sometimes,” says Lauret, “I have found people say, ‘oh, you’re neglecting your family’ if you’re running for office. There was another candidate who had children, and I heard someone say ‘she can’t even manage her house.’ So, I think that’s difficult.”

Utah’s government is not only missing women; it is missing the benefits they would bring.

“Higher numbers [of women] would bring a higher degree of acknowledgement and just plain respect,” Representative Weight explains. She says that she, and other women in the government, deal with a ‘boys’ club’ atmosphere.

But the lack of women in government doesn’t just hurt aspiring politicians. Councilor Lauret suggests that women also bring a different perspective to the legislative table, which impacts all Utah citizens.

“Women look at issues as how they affect individuals much more automatically, characteristically, than men do,” adds Representative Weight. “I’m really noticing that.”

Despite all this, neither Weight nor Lauret are discouraged. Lauret, in fact, says her personal experience has been “95% positive.”

Both encourage women to run for office, and both believe that eventually, the problem can be solved.

Councilor Lauret thinks the solution is “support– financial support, emotional support,” and urges other women to get involved.

“I think we just keep talking about it. We just keep pointing it out, and talking about it, and encouraging,” Representative Weight suggests. “It’s just a matter of keeping the push going on.”

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Jane Drinkwater

Jane Drinkwater is a junior at Orem High School who has probably heard the joke you were going to make about her last name. She enjoys milkshakes, skiing, fighting about politics, and anything involving music.