Are Women Legislators More Productive Than Males?
Start Date
2023 2:15 PM
Location
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Abstract
Research on the relationship between gender and productivity in Congress has produced mixed results, with some studies indicating that women legislators are more productive than men and others finding no relationship. Thus far, few researchers have examined the impact of gender on productivity in state legislatures. In this study, we examine the role of gender in legislative productivity in the Ohio General Assembly. We believe that women legislators are likely to be motivated to introduce legislation by the desire to prove themselves in a gendered environment. Moreover, the “exceptional” hypothesis suggests that women who make it to legislatures are likely to be exceptional in many respects, given the obstacles that women face in society and politics. Therefore, we hypothesize that women in legislative positions in Ohio outperform men in productivity. Our sample includes the 133rd and the 134th Ohio State General Assemblies and we control for age, race, district, party, chamber, and whether the legislator was a committee chair. Legislative productivity is measured by the number of bills introduced and passed during the legislative session.
Are Women Legislators More Productive Than Males?
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Research on the relationship between gender and productivity in Congress has produced mixed results, with some studies indicating that women legislators are more productive than men and others finding no relationship. Thus far, few researchers have examined the impact of gender on productivity in state legislatures. In this study, we examine the role of gender in legislative productivity in the Ohio General Assembly. We believe that women legislators are likely to be motivated to introduce legislation by the desire to prove themselves in a gendered environment. Moreover, the “exceptional” hypothesis suggests that women who make it to legislatures are likely to be exceptional in many respects, given the obstacles that women face in society and politics. Therefore, we hypothesize that women in legislative positions in Ohio outperform men in productivity. Our sample includes the 133rd and the 134th Ohio State General Assemblies and we control for age, race, district, party, chamber, and whether the legislator was a committee chair. Legislative productivity is measured by the number of bills introduced and passed during the legislative session.
