Final answer:
Women's representation in Congress has increased over the years but is still not proportional to the general population. Women's rights movements and organizations have played a crucial role in promoting women's participation in politics and supporting their campaigns. However, there is still a disparity in representation, emphasizing the need for further progress towards gender and racial equality in political representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women's representation in Congress has increased over the years, but it still does not accurately reflect the general population. In 2018, the United States population was 49 percent male and 51 percent female, while Congress was 78.8 percent male and 21.2 percent female. However, there has been progress made, with a record number of women serving in Congress in 2021.
Historically, women's rights movements and organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) have played a significant role in encouraging women's participation in politics and supporting their campaigns. EMILY's List, a political action committee (PAC), has also been instrumental in fundraising for female candidates.
Despite these efforts, women and other marginalized groups are still underrepresented in Congress, relative to their presence in the U.S. population. This disparity highlights the need for continued work towards achieving gender and racial equality in political representation.