Pussy Bow in a Sea of Ties

Pussy Bow in a Sea of Ties Vice Presidents of the United States: 48 male, 1 female

The lack of women in U.S. politics weakens the quality of democracy: today’s political elites still do not reflect the diversity of the U.S. population but instead remain overwhelmingly white, wealthy, and male. The United States has fallen behind most established democracies with respect to women’s representation in politics. Women remain underrepresented at the federal, state, and local levels. The pussy bow, an oversized bow tied at the neck of a blouse has taken on more feminist connotation; becoming a statement of power and showing that femininity can be strong. Internationally, purple is a color for symbolizing women. By exploring the established dominance of men in politics, I seek to question assumptions about womanhood and investigate intersecting concerns about race, class, forms of privilege, and gender.