This week, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced the Fair Representation Act, which along with addressing problems of partisan gerrymandering and encouraging politicians to represent everyone, not just their base, has the potential to radically improve the gender and racial diversity of Congress. 

From left to right: Kathryn Garcia, Dianne Morales and Maya Wiley

Dear gender equality fans, 

The New York City mayoral primary is quickly approaching on June 22nd, it is the first citywide election to use ranked choice voting since it was re-adopted in 2019. This week Vogue interviewed the three women candidates about their platforms and running for an office never held by a woman.

An exploration of how gender-positive policies have had mixed results for women candidates in South Korea.

Blue House, Presidential residence in South Korea (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Despite historic achievements, accomplishments and advancements Black women have made throughout U.S. history, their stories are often overlooked and left out of the history books. A problem that 2Leaf Press, “a small press with big ideas,” is hoping to help correct with their latest book TRAILBLAZERS: Black Women Who Helped Make America Great.

“I want to see more women in the position to make decisions, control resources, and shape policies and perspectives...I believe that women’s potential is worth investing in — and the people and organizations working to improve women’s lives are, too.”   Melinda French Gates in 2019

The Virginia GOP opted for a new form of voting to choose their party nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. In an “unassembled” party convention, more than 30,000 party delegates used ranked choice voting to simulate in-person convention voting processes and elect consensus nominees. 

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) led the push for the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act that recently passed the Senate with bipartisan support. The bill is aimed at addressing a surge in attacks on Asian Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Hirono joined Washington Post reporter David Nakamura to discuss the legislation and personal reflections from her new memoir, “Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter’s Story.” Hirono is the first in a series of conversations on Washington Post Live to mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.

In 2019, the European Union made headlines when it selected Ursula von der Leyen, the first woman in the institution’s history, to serve as President of the European Commission. The Commission, a 27-member group with one commissioner appointed by each EU member state, serves as the European Union’s executive branch, responsible for proposing legislation and managing diplomatic relationships between the nations of the EU and its allies. Concurrent with von der Leyen’s election, the Commission neared gender parity, with a total of 13 women appointed to the executive body.