More than 2,400 women will serve in state legislatures across the U.S. in 2025. That's a new record, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Maryland ranks eighth in the nation for legislative representation by women, at 42.6%.

The Center's Associate Director Jean Sinzdak said women bring their diverse and distinct life experiences to policymaking, and are also more likely to reach consensus than their male counterparts.

She added that it's always positive when governing bodies look more like the communities they represent.

"A big piece of this is just making sure that there is diversity and representation in all kinds of ways," said Sinzdak, "including by gender - but also by life experience, career, socioeconomic status, and so on."

Sinzdak said it's good for democracy when a variety of people serve in state legislatures. She added that while trends are moving in the right direction, there's more to be done.

Nationally, more than seven in ten elected offices are still held by men. But Maryland elected Angela Alsobrooks to the Senate this year.

Alsobrooks is one of only five Black women to have served in the Senate.

Sinzdak contended a barrier for any newcomer running for political office is "the power of incumbency."

But in this election, newcomer Rep.-Elect April McClain Delaney - D-Potomac - won a U.S. House seat. Her husband previously represented the district from 2013 to 2019, before running for president.

Sinzdak said women's struggles begin even before they decide to run for office.

"So, winning is not the issue - it's really sort of the recruitment and the support to run," said Sinzdak. "So that's a big piece of it, really making sure that there is a support network and a recruitment effort to get more new voices, including women, into campaigns and then, elected office."

She added that structural and cultural issues make it harder for women to run.

But this year, they were instrumental in passing Question 1 - which adds language to Maryland's Constitution enshrining abortion rights.




get more stories like this via email

Fighting for a wide range of people with a skill for compromise, is how Rep. Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, is being remembered for following her assassination Saturday.

A civic engagement group said she was a shining example of a woman in politics. Hortman's murder is seen by political observers as a stunning and tragic example of the increasingly violent tone surrounding public office in America. Hortman served as Minnesota House Speaker from 2019 until earlier this year, leading Democrats during power-sharing negotiations with Republicans in an evenly-divided chamber.

Michelle Witte, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, said Hortman stayed true to the mission of an elected official.

"Obviously, (a) rise to power but also just being in the community working at all levels, at the local level to engage people in issues that are important to them," Witte recounted.

Witte noted Hortman's willingness to make tough decisions was on display this spring when finalizing a new budget, as she received pushback from her own party during the negotiations. Witte pointed out Minnesota still has gaps in electing women legislators, despite having more female politicians than over half the states in the U.S.

She added Hortman was among the most notable women in politics statewide, with others including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.

In 2023, Hortman was credited for spearheading several major policies including paid medical leave, abortion protections, and a universal school meal program. While this year's power-sharing agreement with Republicans did have moments of friction, Witte said Hortman's arrangement with GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth was symbolic of women succeeding in the world of politics.

"The League of Women Voters, we actually made a card out of the great handshake between Melissa Hortman and Lisa Demuth when they reach their power-sharing agreement," Witte recalled. "I was so proud of that because that is what we really work for at the League, is seeing that working together."

Witte hopes voters pay more attention to those examples of bipartisanship and appreciate elected leaders who go above and beyond to serve the public. She acknowledged the attacks on Minnesota lawmakers may make people feel anxious about taking part in democracy, adding the country needs to promote voter safety and prevent future candidates from being silenced.


get more stories like this via email

Women college graduates are not sticking to traditional compatibility traits when choosing a husband, according to one study. Preferences are changing as economics play a larger role.

American Institute for Boys and Men data say female college graduates have difficulty finding equally-educated partners.

University of Indianapolis Sociology Professor Amanda Miller, PhD, said historically, college-educated women married within the same circles.

Instead of foregoing marriage entirely, Miller explained, more are deciding on "exogamy" - marrying outside their social group.

"They're dipping down into a group of men who do not have a college education, but who do make a good living financially," said Miller. "College-educated women - if they can't find a man who has a degree - they're marrying, for example, someone who's a general contractor and has his own business, or a union pipefitter who makes a really good living."

The study found that marriage rates for college-educated women remain stable, even as their primary partners -- college-educated men -- become scarce.

Only about 50% of college-educated women marry a man at the same education level, while roughly 25% marry someone without a college degree. Another 25% remain single.

According to the research site World Population Review, in Indiana 50% of men and almost 48% of women are married.

Miller said remaining single or having a baby out of wedlock no longer carries the stigma it has in previous generations.

She added that the "working class" often has conservative or very traditional family values, and most people's beliefs and behaviors don't always go together.

"So, if you ask people with a high school diploma or perhaps an associate's degree or some college, 'Is it okay to have a baby out of wedlock? Is it okay to get divorced? Is it okay to cohabit?'" said Miller, "their answer is often 'no.' The flip side happens when we talk to the college-educated - they don't actually do those things themselves."

Miller also noted a decrease in women out-earning or being more educated than their husbands.

She observed that as college-educated women choose to marry men without college degrees, fewer working-class men marry women of a similar background.

As Women's Health Month draws to a close, the focus in on the growing issue of alcohol misuse among women in Missouri and across the nation. Research shows between 2021 and 2022, more than 1 in 5 women ages 18 to 44 in Missouri said they drank heavily, meaning eight or more drinks a week. Medical data shows that heavy drinking raises the risks of organ damage, cancer and pregnancy complications.

Merna Eppick, sober for 37 years, founded the Simmering Center recovery housing in Branson to help others find the same freedom. But she emphasized that statistics on women and alcohol misuse may not tell the full story because many women suffer in silence.

"If you were to look at the complexion of recovery opportunities, whether you go into a 12-step meeting, a treatment center, recovery housing, it's usually somewhere between a quarter and a third women and two thirds men, or three quarters men," she said.

Research shows women face greater social fallout, broken relationships and stigma from alcohol misuse. Eppick said there is help through peer respite support - community-based care for those in crisis.

According to statistics, alcohol misuse also puts women at higher risk for violence, car crashes and job loss. Almost 40 people in the United States die every day from alcohol-related crashes alone.

Dr. Lisa Saul, chief medical officer with UnitedHealthcare, noted that alcohol is deeply embedded in our culture, shaping how we socialize and view drinking.

"We are currently in a season of celebrations, the weddings and graduations and things of that nature - and it's become more and more of a cultural norm," she explained.

While the pandemic amplified alcohol misuse among women, the trend dates back to at least 2019, when 32% of high school girls reported drinking, compared with 26% of boys.