The Best States for Women In America

[NikolaC]

The best states for women in America, in 11 maps and charts

Minnesota is the best state for women in America.

That’s according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a nonprofit that on Wednesday published the final two reports in a sprawling seven-part series exploring how women are faring in the states. The “Status of Women in the States” series, an update on a set of reports from 2004, represents an ambitious attempt to quantify gender inequality in the states—and provide fodder for the national discussion.

“The way politics are structured in the U.S., if you want to make an impact it helps if you have the data,” says Ariane Hegewisch, study director at IWPR. “So the purpose was to pull the data down to the state level at least to help people concerned about addressing gender issues to make their case.”

Each state received a grade on seven broad topics, derived from dozens of metrics and touching on virtually all aspects of the public and private lives of women, from employment and earnings to economic opportunity to violence and safety to reproductive rights to health to political participation.

[oldandhappy]

1. Very interesting. Thank you.

The charts tell the story. I had not been following this. Thank you for the post.

[CrispyQ]

2. That was very comprehensive.

There’s good and bad news in the report: political representation has generally improved for women, but they have a long way to go before achieving equality.

A decade ago, women accounted for fewer than 1 in 7 members of Congress. Today, they account for nearly 1 in 5. But, at the rate of progress women have seen since 1960, IWPR estimates that women won’t achieve equal representation in Congress for another 102 years.

Women have yet to achieve 50 percent representation in any state legislature and while six states have female governors, only 36 of the 2,300 governors have ever been women

You'd never know we're half the human population.

[raccoon]

3. K&R. nt

[lark]

4. Fl. has fallen so far under Voldemort.

How I hate that scumbag. Sorry scum, I really meant that he's way below you. Didn't wnat to let that compliment stand.

[Lilith Rising]

5. Interesting stuff.

Thanks for the link

[niyad]

6. welcome to du

[Lilith Rising]

10. Thank you :)

[niyad]

7. k and r and bookmarking for later, in-depth reading, with thanks.

[NikolaC]

8. I Read It This Morning

and thought it was very interesting and, in some cases, a bit discouraging. There have been some improvements but women still have a way to go with all of the punitive and backwards legislation that's making their way through various states.

[hifiguy]

9. Apart from the brutal cold

and snow, Minnesota is a pretty good place to live. Been here all my life except for three years in law school. Nice to hear this.