Does the presence of female leaders increase opportunities for other women politicians? Examining parliamentary debates in the UK House of Commons, this study investigates how ministers' gender affects discourse. Using a difference-in-differences approach tracking gender changes over time,
Findings: Female ministers lead to significantly more participation and influence by female MPs in relevant debates.
Mechanism Analysis: A new metric measuring ministerial responsiveness reveals that women respond substantially more than men do to speeches by backbenchers.
The study concludes that female representation at the top levels of government creates space for other women's voices to be heard. This effect suggests important implications for gender equality in politics.
