The Best and Worst States to Be a Woman - Introducing the U.S. Women, Peace, and Security Index 2020 - Georgetown ...
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The Best and Worst
States to Be a Woman
Introducing the U.S. Women,
Peace, and Security Index 2020Overview
Our new and comprehensive measure of women’s rights and
opportunities in the United States reveals vast differences across the
50 states and the District of Columbia, with Massachusetts at the top,
scoring almost four times better than Louisiana at the bottom.
T his first-ever examination of women’s status along the
dimensions of inclusion, justice, and security across the
50 states and the District of Columbia reveals vast disparities
FIGURE 1 The US Women, Peace, and Security
Index: Three dimensions and 12 indicators
across place and race. It highlights that much work needs to
be done at the federal and state levels to achieve gender equal-
Re
ity across the nation. Gender inequalities are compounded by pr
od
racial and class injustice. u
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What is the United States Women, Peace, and a
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The US WPS Index captures key aspects of women’s status at
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home, in the community, and in the economy and society.
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The index is structured around three basic dimensions:
e
ess
In
s
inclusion (economic, social, political); justice (formal laws and US Index
informal discrimination); and security (at the individual and
community levels; figure 1). The index and its 12 indicators,
grouped into these three dimensions, provide a standardized,
Sec
quantitative, and transparent measure for ranking all states.
In
u rity
ti m ce
ate v i o le n
What does the index show? p a rt n e r
G u n d eaths
Our new and comprehensive measure of women’s well-being, He
a lt h lit y
c a r e a ff o r d a b i
rights, and opportunities in the United States reveals vast Com
differences across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. m u n ity s af e t y
There is an enormous range in performance, from Massa-
chusetts at the top (.709) to Louisiana at the bottom (.167),
Note: For definitions of indicators see appendix.
on a 0–1 scale. A full ranking of all states and the District of Source: Authors.
Columbia is shown in figure 2.
12 | THE U.S. WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY INDEX 2020
FIGURE 2 State rankings on the US index, 2020
Massachusetts .709
Connecticut .696
District of Columbia .695
Vermont .691
Rhode Island .679
New Hampshire .652
Maryland .639
New York .634
Maine .632
Hawaii .626
New Jersey .607
Minnesota .606
Illinois .602
Colorado .565
California .564
Wisconsin .559
Pennsylvania .545
Oregon .541
Nebraska .537
North Dakota .529
Michigan .527
Delaware .524
Iowa .521
Washington .520
Ohio .506
National average .486
Kansas .485
Virginia .485
Alaska .482
South Dakota .469
Florida .461
Arizona .453
Montana .446
North Carolina .446
Indiana .435
Nevada .432
Utah .400
Georgia .382
Missouri .381
Idaho .371
New Mexico .365
Texas .355
Oklahoma .339
Wyoming .308
South Carolina .304
Tennessee .299
West Virginia .294
Kentucky .277
Alabama .238
Arkansas .231
Mississippi .182
Louisiana .167
.000 .100 .200 .300 .400 .500 .600 .700 .800
Index score
Note: See statistical table 1 for data sources, dates, and detailed scores.
Source: Authors’ estimates.
Our analysis reveals key achievements and major deficits Connecticut, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia. Only 9
behind the striking variation in the index across states. states have mandated paid parental leave, and 16 states have
Some highlights: not ratified the Equal Rights Amendment.
First, differences across states are largest for reproduc- Second, major racial disparities affect the status of women
tive healthcare access and legal protection. In Wyoming, in many states— a nd white women typically do best. Racial
fewer than 1 in 20 women live in a county with an abor- gaps are most marked for college degree attainment, mater-
tion provider, compared with 19 in 20 women in California, nal mortality, and representation in the state legislature. On | 3
average, 38 percent of white women have completed college, FIGURE 3 What does gender equality look like to
almost double the rate of Native American women. Large dis- you?
parities also mark maternal mortality— in New Jersey, the Responses to the question: What does gender equality look like to you? In
maternal mortality rate is 132 deaths per 100,000 live births other words, how would you know that we’ve reached full gender equality
among Black women, almost four times the rate among white in our country?
women. In 26 states, there are no Hispanic women repre- toxic dominance
sented in the state legislature. predatory
Third, there is some good news. Women are graduat-
ing from college at high and rising rates1 and earn a major-
sexual objectification
ity of bachelor’s degrees. According to a survey conducted rights and laws
for the Georgetown Institute of Women, Peace and Security
in August 2020 by YouGov/PerryUndem, solid majorities of women in power
Americans support gender equality and recognize that equal-
ity involves equal pay, livable-wage jobs, parental leave, and equal pay
healthcare
equal opportunity
access to childcare and to affordable healthcare including woman president
birth control and the full range of reproductive healthcare
services. The survey also reveals that:
childcare condescension
sexual harassment
• Four in five adults believe that it is important for elected
officials to work on issues affecting gender equality.
• About two in three adults believe that the country would
be better off with more women in political office and that
access to abortion is an important part of women’s rights
treated as equals
and equality.2 workplace discrimination
• Most adults also recognize that only a minority of women
in the United States have access to these services and
domestic violence
opportunities. Respondents are especially likely to say men share domestic work
that women lack access to affordable childcare— a n unmet reproductive rights
need that has been exacerbated and brought into sharper unprofessional job interviews
relief by the COVID-19 crisis. intersectional
• About 83 percent of adults believe that, in light of the
COVID-19 crisis, it is just as or even more important that Note: Larger text size corresponds to more frequent responses.
Source: Klugman et al. forthcoming.
women be paid the same as men for equal work.
Fourth, however, there are major differences in views
on multiple aspects of gender equality, especially between the 10 best performing states nationally, while all 5 of the
women and men and according to race and political affilia- worst performing states are in the Southeast region.3 Yet loca-
tion. Figure 3 reflects the diversity of views emerging from tion is not a sole determinant: there are major differences
the survey’s question: What does gender equality look like to you? within regions. Thus, while Colorado ranks 14th overall, its
The words in green represent the positive changes respon- neighbors, Utah and Wyoming, rank 36th and 43rd.
dents want to see, and the words in grey reflect harmful prac- Seventh, women face serious justice and security constraints:
tices that need to end. • In 37 states, domestic abusers subject to protective orders
Fifth, the index demonstrates that good things often go are not required to relinquish firearms.
together. A number of states —f rom New Hampshire and • In 44 states, there is no legislated minimum wage above
Massachusetts to California and Oregon— have done well in the low-income threshold.4
extending protections and expanding opportunities, and indi- • In 17 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, and Idaho, at
vidual attitudes and norms are supportive of gender equality. least one in three men believe that it is better for men
These 4 states are among the 33 that have ratified the Equal to be the breadwinner while women tend to the home,
Rights Amendment, signaling support for women’s rights and revealing adverse norms that obstruct women’s economic
equality. Eleven states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, and opportunities.5
Minnesota, as well as the District of Columbia, score in the • In 17 states, fewer than half of women feel safe walking
top two quintiles on inclusion, justice, and security. However, alone at night within a mile of their neighborhood. 6
New Hampshire is the only state that performs well (in the Finally, money matters, with state per capita GDP associ-
top two quintiles) for all 12 of the US WPS indicators. ated with better index scores. Nonetheless, some states do far
Sixth, there are clear patterns in regional performance. better on the US WPS Index— or far worse— than their per
For example, all 6 states in the Northeast region are among capita income rank, suggesting that money is not the whole4 | THE U.S. WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY INDEX 2020
story. For example, Maine ranks 44th in per capita GDP but are less likely than white women to hold a high school or col-
9th on the index— a 35-place gap. Wyoming, on the other lege degree, and more likely than white women to be living
hand, ranks 34 places lower on the index than its GDP per in poverty, be part of the working poor, and not to receive
capita rank (see statistical table 3). health insurance through their employer.
Closing gaps is a priority. The federal government needs to
Ways forward provide fuller legal protections and stronger social safety nets.
Looking ahead, establishing women’s rights in laws that The federal and state governments can play a critical role to
ensure safety at home and at work and that promote equality ensure that the intersectional challenges across gender, race,
and inclusion is essential. Because such protection is not com- and class lines are recognized and addressed, not denied. The
prehensive at the national level, there is enormous variation persistence of gendered and racial economic disparities lim-
across the United States. The state in which a woman lives its economic growth in good times and even more so in bad
determines her ability to file a workplace sexual harassment times. These disparities have been exposed and exacerbated
claim, her level of protection from an abusive partner, and during the COVID-19 crisis, accentuating the need to address
her ability to take paid time off for caregiving. And these pro- racial justice in efforts to advance gender equality.
tections are just with respect to the laws on paper and do not Activists, advocacy networks, and researchers, along with
take into account the potential costs and obstacles to enforce- leaders inside and outside government, have been working
ment of rights. hard for many years to advance this agenda. We hope that
Racial and class injustice exacerbate gender inequalities this and future editions of the US WPS Index help hold deci-
and vice versa. Black, Hispanic, and Native American women sionmakers to account and guide efforts to advance the status
are paid less than men and white women for the same work, of all women and girls in the United States.
Major racial disparities affect the status of women
in many states—and white women typically do best.E X P L O R E | DATA S H E E T
WA NH
No place in the Best 1
MT ME
ND VT
country achieves
MN
the best or worst OR ID
MA 0.71 WI NY MA
possible score. All SD
WY MI RI
Range CT
six New England of IA PA
NE NJ
states rank in the top scores NV OH
UT IL IN DE
10; the five lowest CA CO WV MD
LA 0.17
THE STATE OF WOMEN
B Y I R E N E B E R M A N -VA P O R I S , L AW S O N P A R K E R , A N D R O S E M A R Y WA R D L E Y
performing states are
located in the South. Worst 0
AZ NM
KS
OK
MO
AR
KY
TN
VA
NC
SC
DC
MS AL GA
Employment • Education • Maternal mortality • Political clout • Physical safety TX LA
How U.S. women fare in these key aspects of life varies widely across the nation, according to a new bench- FL
mark of women’s well-being. The 2020 U.S. Women, Peace and Security Index measures women’s inclusion AK
Massachusetts (RANK: 1)
in society, sense of security, and exposure to discrimination. It shows how obstacles and opportunities for Proactive legislative reforms in
women differ from state to state, driven by economic, racial, and ethnic disparities, among other factors. the state, including an equal HI
National Geographic partnered with the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security to illustrate the U.S. index. pay act updated in 2018, have
helped close gender gaps. Alaska, Hawaii, and D.C. not to scale
The index measures three categories, CATEGORY SCORES Category Overall
each composed of four subcategories. 0 WORST POSSIBLE 0.2 0.4 averages 0.6 index score 0.8 BEST POSSIBLE 1 OVERALL RANK
Inclusion Justice Security
DC 1 Massachusetts
National average Subcategory performance* Reproductive DC Employment (57%); 2 Connecticut
Justice
Bottom rank Top rank health care (100%) Education (58%) 3 District of Columbia
Security
Employment
Inclusion
43% 4 Vermont
Women age 16 and older
who work 35 hours or District of Columbia (3) 5 Rhode Island
more every week NH Working Washington, D.C., has the high- 6 New Hampshire
New Jersey (11) poor (2%) est average employment and 7 Maryland
Education
33% The maternal mortality rate educational attainment rates 8 New York
Women age 25 and older
among Black women is nearly but massive racial disparities. 9 Maine
who have a bachelor’s
degree or higher four times as high as the rate HI Health-care RI Intimate 10 Hawaii
for white women. affordability (93%) partner 11 New Jersey
Government representation violence (4%) 12 Minnesota
30% Seats held by women 13 Illinois
in both chambers of the
14 Colorado
state legislature
California (15) 15 California
Working poor Companies with at least five 16 Wisconsin
6% Poverty among women employees are required to 17 Pennsylvania
who worked 27 weeks or conduct sexual harassment OR Legal Oregon (18) 18 Oregon
more in the past year prevention training. protection Of seven state laws the index 19 Nebraska
Legal protection (86%) deems vital to protecting 20 North Dakota
2.5 Number of key laws women, Oregon passed six. 21 Michigan
(out of seven) enacted to Six states haven’t passed any. 22 Delaware
protect women’s rights 23 Iowa
24 Washington
Discriminatory norms
28% 25 Ohio
Men age 18 and older who
say it’s better if women 26 Kansas
work within the home 26 Virginia
AK Maternal Alaska (28) 28 Alaska
Reproductive health care mortality (12) 29 South Dakota
62% The seventh best state for
Women living in a county 30 Florida
inclusion is the 10th worst in
with a clinic that provides
Nevada (35) security. It has particularly low 31 Arizona
abortion services
The state has high rates of gun levels of community safety. 32 Montana
Maternal mortality and intimate partner violence, 32 North Carolina
30 Deaths per 100,000 live but it’s the only one to reach 34 Indiana
births from any cause gender parity in its legislature. NV Government 35 Nevada
related to pregnancy representation (52%) 36 Utah
Gun violence GA Health-care 37 Georgia
3 Deaths per 100,000 women affordability (79%) 38 Missouri
from gun-related homicides 39 Idaho
or suicides in the past year NM Working poor (10%) South Carolina (44) 40 New Mexico
The state with the highest rate 41 Texas
Intimate partner violence
7% Physically or sexually SC Intimate WY Reproductive health of intimate partner violence 42 Oklahoma
harmed or stalked in the partner care (4%); Gun violence (9) doesn’t require domestic abus- 43 Wyoming
past year by a partner violence (11%) ers to relinquish their firearms. 44 South Carolina
45 Tennessee
Health-care affordability WV Employment (36%); 46 West Virginia
86% Women who visited a West Virginia (46)
Education (22%); Government The low-performing state 47 Kentucky
doctor in the past year Louisiana (51)
representation (13%) made gains recently, elect- 48 Alabama
without financial difficulty The lifetime wage gap is
ing its first openly transgen- highest here: For every dollar 49 Arkansas
Community safety LA Maternal der politician to office. a man makes, a woman earns 50 Mississippi
56% Women age 18 and older who mortality (72) 68.8 cents. 51 Louisiana
aren’t afraid to walk alone at
night in their neighborhood 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
COPYRIGHT OF NGP 2020 VISIT USA-INDEX.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INDEX AND HOW IT WAS CREATED. *SUBCATEGORIES WITH TIED SCORES NOT SHOWN ON GRAPHIC. THE INDEX RANKS ALL 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. SOURCES: JENI KLUGMAN, ELENA ORTIZ,
USED WITH PERMISSION BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND TURKAN MUKHTAROVA, GEORGETOWN INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY; INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN’S POLICY RESEARCHYou can also read
