Gender and the Changing Character of the Washington State Legislature

The study of women in politics is a relatively new field. Western political thought, starting in ancient Greece, has with only a few rare exceptions entertained the idea of a political life wherein women participate equally with men if at all (Darcy, Welch, Clark, p. 2-3). Women were expressly left out in the framing of the United States Constitution. In a letter responding to his wife's plea to 'remember the ladies' in framing the Constitution, John Adams wrote, 'Depend upon it. We know better than to repeal our Masculine systems... We have only the Name of Masters, and rather than give up this, which would completely subject Us to the Despotism of the Peticoat, I hope General Washington, and all our brave Heroes would fight (Rossi, p. 11).'