What Would Women Do?

What Would Women Do?

Type: 
Blog Post

Women's status in South Carolina is at the top of unwanted phenomena like domestic violence and maternal and child mortality, and at the bottom of desirable phenomena like equal pay, reproductive choice, and LGBTQ+ rights. To improve women's well-being requires a robust, diverse representation of women in government. Academic research shows this, and women in government know and live it.

Female SC SenatorsFive bipartisan South Carolina state senators crystallized the point on April 28, 2023 when they marched together into the chamber to oppose restrictions on women’s reproductive rights.  All five senators wore buttons proclaiming, "Elect More Women.” 

(L to R: SC Senators Penny Gustafson, Katrina Shealy, Margie BrightMatthews, Sandy Senn, and Mia McLeod  credit:  ABC News)

Unfortunately, the number of women in state office decreased by two in the November election, leaving SC with 23 women in a state legislature of 171.  South Carolina Women in Leadership (WIL) reports that South Carolina is #47 in the nation for representation of women.  Some states have 50% women in the legislature. 

As of December 2022, six countries have 50% or more women in parliament in single or lower houses: Rwanda 61%, Cuba 53%, Nicaragua 52%, Mexico 50%, New Zealand 50%, and the United Arab Emirates 50%. These are followed by Iceland 47.6%, Costa Rica 47.6%, S. Africa 46.5%, and Sweden and Andorra both at 46.4%. (statista.com)

The Institute for Women's Policy Research ranks South Carolina at #41, with a D grade on key quality of life measures. Here is how our state ranks out of the 50 states:

 #41  U.S. Prosperity Index

#41  Highest Rate of Poverty

#42  Highest Maternal Mortality Rate

#42  Rate of Violent Crime

#45  Most Women Killed by Men

The paucity of elected women is echoed in the low number of women in South Carolina’s judiciary. There is a link between these two phenomena, as the male-dominated legislature controls the process for selecting judges. Applications for judicial appointment are initially screened by a Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) which, like the legislature, is predominantly male. Its ten members are all appointed by the legislature, and six are required to be legislators. Currently all six of the legislative members are men, as are two of the four other members.

The JMSC forwards to the legislature the names of up to three qualified candidates. The legislature then selects a judge from among the forwarded candidates. These judges must be reappointed every six years, and at that time they are again subject to JMSC screening and a legislative vote. Thus pleasing the legislature becomes important to reappointment likelihood.

This system of appointment and reappointment has resulted in a judiciary in which women are seriously under-represented because they are appointed by a legislature in which they are seriously under-represented. In the Circuit Courts, the trial courts in which most civil and criminal cases are heard, only 20% of the judges are women. The South Carolina Supreme Court has no women members at all. In its history there have only been two women that have ever served on the SC Supreme Court.

Inclusion of women is important to a fair system of justice. This was apparent in a case like Planned Parenthood v. South Carolina (2023), where the central issue was whether it is reasonable to allow pregnant women only six weeks to become aware that they are pregnant, consult their physician or clergy or family for advice, and make a decision as important and multilayered as whether to carry a pregnancy to term.  The absence of women on the court meant that the issue was determined by a group of judges who had never and will never experience pregnancy.

What to Do?

There are many opportunities for interested persons to play a role in increasing the number of women in elective office.  The important first step is to get more women on the ballot.  Each woman who reads this should give serious thought to the possibility of running for office.  If becoming a candidate yourself is not realistic, you can become involved with South Carolina organizations such as WIL that recruit, train, and support women candidates. Persons active in political parties can try to have their party commit to quotas or gender parity goals in nominations.  

Fundraising is an important part of every successful political campaign; you can boost the campaigns of women candidates with monetary contributions.  Or alternatively, volunteer your time to assist with their campaigns. Candidates and political parties can be contacted on-line to find out how you can help.  And, of course, when all the campaigning is over, go to the polls and vote for women candidates.

Promoting office-holding by women can also be pursued through systemic change. Some American jurisdictions are experimenting with ranked-choice voting systems, the use of gender-balanced party slates, or other electoral reforms which are potentially more favorable to women candidates.  In other countries it is common for gender quotas to be used to achieve parity between men and women office holders.   According to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, half of the world’s countries use quotas of some sort to make the numbers of women in government more commensurate with their numbers in the population. Among the accomplishments attributed to the greater numbers of women are better pay for women, greater emphasis on health and safety for women, and an emphasis on peaceful coexistence with other countries.

Conclusion

In politics, there are no panaceas. Electing more women, however, would change agendas, increase responsive policymaking, and provide more constituent representation. Research, in addition to testimony from women in government, affirms that electing more women causes the status of women, as well as men and children, to rise.  It is important for all South Carolinians that we begin to meaningfully address ways to increase female representation among our elected officials.

~ Laura Woliver, Judith Polson, and Elizabeth Patterson
Members, LWVSC Gender and Women's Equity Working Group 

 

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League to which this content belongs: 
South Carolina