USA sees a 100 women in Congress for the first time!

This Tuesday, Democrat Alma Adams, after winning from North Carolina, became the 100^th woman to be elected to the Congress. This success is being credited to EMILY’s List, a PAC (Political Acton Committee) that aims to help elect pro-choice Democratic female candidates to office.

The President of EMILY’s List, Stephanie Schriock, said, “Alma Adams is a trailblazer and champion for women and families who is now poised to make history as the 100th woman serving in Congress.” She added, “Working families need leaders like Alma, who will unapologetically fight to protect women’s reproductive healthcare access and economic security.”

Apart from Adams, the country saw women from different backgrounds and ideologies being elected. Yesterday, the first Republican black woman was elected from Utah. Mia Love follows Mormonism and promised to take on “the Godzilla that we call the federal government." These mid-term elections also saw the youngest female member of Congress, - Elise Stefanik, 30.

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Another woman that made history is Iowa's Joni Ernst who isn’t just the first woman from Iowa to be elected to the House or the Senate; she will also be the Senate's first female combat veteran. Important women’s issues like the wage-gap, the argument regarding being pro-choice etc. have been raised in the country time and again. With a good number of women now at the governing level may bring some relief to those who have remained unrepresented for a long time.

Though this is a huge improvement, having a100 congresswomen doesn’t even make up for 20% of the office. Being a developed nation, the percentage of women representatives in the US is far less than many other democratic countries. Still, this is a significant step and is being celebrated throughout the country.