Women’s History Month is here. To celebrate all month long, we’ll be highlighting some of the different orgs and people making waves for women’s representation. 

Next up, Erin Loos Cutraro, founder and CEO of She Should Run. Since 2011, the nonpartisan org has encouraged more than 40,000 women to consider their leadership potential. Because, despite some gains, women still only hold around 30% of elected offices in the US. And data has shown that while nearly 60% of men have thought about running for office, nearly 60% of women have not. Here’s what she had to say about the barriers women face in politics, and how She Should Run is working to change that...

Q: Historically, women have been less likely to run for office. Why?

Women are less likely to see themselves as elected leaders. It basically starts at puberty, with girls being more likely to identify others — specifically white men — when they’re asked, ‘What does a politician look like?’ They just don’t see themselves in that role … And because our current elected bodies — we have over 500,000 elected offices in the country, by the way — are predominantly represented by men, it’s not surprising that history repeats itself.

Q: What would you say to women considering a run?

Our research is really clear that there is a political ambition gap … If the thought even crosses their mind, they’re immediately thinking about the ways they can become better informed on everything there is to know about every policy. When in reality, what’s most important is that fire in the belly — to be connected to a policy that you care about … Because women often aren’t in the rooms, especially marginalized women. That fundamentally changes the outcome of policies, and we need them there.

Q: Once a woman decides to run, what other hurdles does she face?

Likely, that she has to make a case for her qualifications. It’s not assumed that she has what it takes. Even if the list [of her qualifications] is long she may have to lead with that list. It may be that she has to work harder to build the network, to break through what could be a 100% built-in old boys club … Then there are double standards when it comes to how voters perceive women, not just in terms of qualifications, but also in terms of their ability to lead … We still live in a reality where women’s experiences look very different than men’s.

Q: She Should Run wants to see 250,000 women run for local, state, and federal offices by 2030. Is that goal in reach?

Yes … It’s not She Should Run alone saying women should run for office. It’s She Should Run giving individuals the tools that will help them find the women in their lives — and we all know them — who should be thinking about running for office. We can be that catalyst that plants the seed and says, ‘You should think about running for office’ … So, how are we gonna get to 250,000 women? Well, we’re going to do it together.