Presentation

Abstract

This issue of the journal brings together a series of texts that, from different fields of action and disciplines, address women's political participation at different levels of government. Almost unanimously, the results of these investigations -supported by qualitative and quantitative approaches, diverse data sources and theoretical frameworks- coincide in pointing out that the presence of women in politics and legislative work confronts them with similar conditions, regardless of whether the context is Mexican or Latin American. Among the most relevant research findings, the following common issues stand out: both their party colleagues and members of opposing parties, as well as the citizenry itself, require them to demonstrate that they have the capacity to perform the position for which they were elected, compared to their male peers in the same positions; negative evaluations regarding the exercise of their authority and decision-making, which tend to be interpreted as temperamental actions or hormonal changes, instead of considering them as legitimate forms of exercising power; and the confrontation of various barriers they must overcome due to their condition as women in the political sphere.