Politics may seem like a whole different world to us, but those who participate in running our country have the same struggles. “A Woman In the House (and Senate)” by Ilene Cooper is one of many “movements” that are in attempt to assist America's understanding the rights and roles of women in society. This book provides the reader with plenty of instances where women were forced to stumble on their climb to the top. Some of my personal favorites are when a congresswoman was seen as half of a person and had to share a seat, when a female representative couldn’t attend an awards dinner because it was hosted at a men’s club, and of course, when womenfolk as a whole were not granted the right to vote until 1920.
It’s hard to imagine what it would feel like to be held back because of your gender, but the publication also highlights the achievements of these women during their time in the Senate or House of Representatives. Patsy Mink, a Democrat from Hawaii (and the first Asian American woman to be elected into the house) worked to provide girl’s sports teams with an equal amount of funding as boy’s teams. Also, Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican from Maine, gained popularity by being the first woman to run for president and standing up to her male colleagues regularly.
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This may seem like a fair amount, but think for a moment. The first woman was inducted into the Senate in 1917, but our country was developed in 1776. That’s 141 years of an all-male government, so it can easily be seen why girls and women don’t always have the confidence to pursue their dreams. “A Woman In The House” works to provide these females with examples that show that they can do what they please, and be good at