Why Do Women Stay Out of Politics? It’s Not Just Gender Bias – But a Double Bind

This paper theorizes three potential biases against women in politics: outright hostility, double standards, and the "double bind" effect.

• Conjoint Experiments: Data from original surveys (American voters & public officials) were analyzed using conjoint experiments.
• Findings: Contrary to expectations, respondents showed no evidence of discrimination or double standards when evaluating candidates. However, they consistently preferred political profiles compatible with traditional family roles for women.

The Double Bind Problem: While men and women are evaluated similarly on identical traits, social pressures push many women toward family-friendly policy positions that often don't align with full-time political careers. This creates a difficult choice for qualified women: pursue politics without the expected familial support or compromise their career by taking traditional roles.

Implications: Until political careers offer more flexibility to meet diverse needs, this double bind will likely perpetuate women's underrepresentation in government.