Diversity Matters: Intersectionality and Women’s Descriptive Representation in the USA and UK

Women's organisations can help address some specific challenges faced by different groups of women during the political recruitment process. This article explores whether US and UK organisations do so. Legislative composition analysis confirms women of colour are under-represented, although they are better represented in the USA than in the UK; women with disabilities are under-represented in both countries, along with younger women in the USA and older women in the UK. Interviews with US women's organisations reveal a greater attention to diversity, particularly with regard to women of colour; however, the focus remains on increasing the overall number of women in both countries.