A society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage and this is especially true in the modern world. Statistics showing the dreadful lack of female political representation in American history is very important to the understanding of the country’s democracy. The latest news on this front comes from a really interesting article by Washington post put together by Emily Wax-Thibodeaux:

Since Nevada seated the nation’s first majority-female state legislature in January, the male old guard has been shaken up by the perspectives of female lawmakers. Bills prioritizing women’s health and safety have soared to the top of the agenda. Mounting reports of sexual harassment have led one male lawmaker to resign. And policy debates long dominated by men, including prison reform and gun safety, are yielding to female voices…

…No other legislature has achieved that milestone in U.S. history. Only Colorado comes close, with women constituting 47 percent of its legislators. In Congress, just one in four lawmakers is a woman. And in Alabama, which just enacted an almost complete ban on abortion, women make up just 15 percent of lawmakers.

See the full story here.