Governing Institutions, Ideologies, and Gender: Toward the Possibility of Equal Political Representation

U.S. governing institutions, especially Congress, have received limited investigation as gendered institutions. Political representation suffers as a result. Improved theorizing about gender and governing institutions requires discursive shifts. A framework to improve empirical research is advanced. It juxtaposes variants of gender proto-ideologies, masculinism and feminalism, and organizes these pairs according to strands of shared views. These gender strands also compound with the spectrum of governing ideologies, such as social liberalism or neoconservatism. This approach enables nuanced interpretation and explanation, pointing toward potential alliances and sites of transformation for better political representation.