Too many men or too few women?—new study finds how gender gap is framed affects perceptions of it

To many, Vice President Kamala Harris's loss in the 2024 presidential election was a sobering reminder of a larger and continuous gender gap across leadership positions, not only in government, but also in business, higher education, and the military. A majority of Americans recognize the inadequacy of female representation in leadership, and the news media often portray women's underrepresentation in these roles—but it nonetheless persists.