What percent of members of the 118th Congress are women?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

1. According to the data from the charts above, how many women are currently members of the U.S. Senate in the 118th Congress?

2. The 2022 midterm elections sent nearly two dozen new congresswomen to the House, including Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat who became both the first woman and openly LGBTQ person elected to Congress from the state. Of the 22 freshman (rookie) representatives who are women, 15 are Democrats and seven are Republicans.Based on the data from the visual above, identify the total number of Republican female members of the 118th House of Representatives.

3. Based on the data from the visual above, identify one trend in female composition of the U.S. Congress since 1917.

4. Explain the main reason for that trend.

5. There are 535 human members of the U.S. Congress, even if you count Ted Cruz. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2021, females made up 50.5% of the American population, almost double the share of Congress that are females. Make a claim explaining why women are still so underrepresented in Congress.

6. Describe two policy changes that would likely result if suddenly the percent of male and female congress members flipped.

7. Based on the data in this chart, what year do you predict Congress will become 1/2 male and 1/2 female.

8. Make a claim explaining why there are more female Democratic member of the House than female Republican members of the House.

9. The 19th Amendment, which extended voting rights to women across the nation, was ratified in 1920. Make a claim explaining the connection between that amendment and female representation in the Congress since then.

10. Explain whether having more women in Congress would break the gridlock in Congress and the House’s inability to elect a new Speaker of the House.

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

The Center for American Women and Politics lists all the women currently serving in the 118th U.S. Congress. Share the names of any women who represent your state in the House or the Senate with your classmates.

Get Creative

If congress was an animal, what animal would they be?

Learning Extension

Read this short, short, short and sweet, sweet, sweet Pew Research Center report on the incoming class of female representatives.

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