Too feminine to be a leader? Systematic implicit biases against women politicians

The political presence of women has advanced over the last few decades, albeit slowly. However, women are still less likely to run or be recruited for political candidacy. Women, even when elected, are also held to different standards from their male counterparts. Drawing from extant scholarship on stereotypes and implicit biases, this chapter evaluates the impact of stereotyping women, especially women with multiple marginalized identities, as a systematic barrier for parity in political institutions. It argues that gender norms must be eliminated in order to improve the status and influence of women in positions of political leadership. It also offers policy recommenddations for providing a space for women in political institutions.