--- title: Study: Another 100 Years Before Congress is Half Women description: Women make up only 20 percent of the current U.S. Congress canonical: https://time.com/2891685/100-years-half-women-congress/ author: Joan E. Greve article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-06-17T21:59:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T08:28:19.272Z article:section: Politics og:title: Study: Another 100 Years Before Congress is Half Women og:description: Women make up only 20 percent of the current U.S. Congress og:url: https://time.com/2891685/100-years-half-women-congress/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt268b7a8cc806d89f/69869803adae44704d543bca/women-congress-elizabeth-warren.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2794 og:image:height: 1572 og:image:alt: U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Study: Another 100 Years Before Congress is Half Women twitter:description: Women make up only 20 percent of the current U.S. Congress twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt268b7a8cc806d89f/69869803adae44704d543bca/women-congress-elizabeth-warren.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # It'll Be Over 100 Years Before Congress is Half Women, Study Finds by [Joan E. Greve](https://time.com/author/joan-greve/) ## Joan E. Greve Jun 17, 2014 9:59 PM UTC  Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks at the Democratic State Convention in Worcester, Mass. on June 13. Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks at the Democratic State Convention in Worcester, Mass. on June 13.Boston Globe—Boston Globe/Getty Images by [Joan E. Greve](https://time.com/author/joan-greve/) ## Joan E. Greve Jun 17, 2014 9:59 PM UTC Mark your calendars for 2121: that’s the year when women may finally achieve equal representation in the United States’ leading legislative body, according to a [new study](http://www.iwpr.org/publications/pubs/building-women2019s-political-careers-strengthening-the-pipeline-to-higher-office) by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The think tank estimated in its May report that it would take over a century before women made up 50 percent of Congress (they currently make up 20 percent). “We can’t wait 107 years to ensure women’s voices are equally represented in the halls of government,” wrote Marni Allen, the Executive Director of the group Political Parity, in response to the [study](http://www.iwpr.org/blog/2014/06/03/lets-shift-up-womens-representation/), called “Shifting Gears: How Women Navigate the Road to Higher Office.” Allen attributed slow progress on a “lack of access to well-resourced networks” for women, as well as“hyperpartisanship” and “lack of diversity among current officeholders.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2891685/100-years-half-women-congress/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2891685/100-years-half-women-congress/"},"headline":"It'll Be Over 100 Years Before Congress is Half Women, Study Finds","datePublished":"2014-06-17T21:59:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T08:28:19.272Z","description":"Women make up only 20 percent of the current U.S. Congress","url":"https://time.com/2891685/100-years-half-women-congress/","keywords":["Congress","women","study"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt268b7a8cc806d89f/69869803adae44704d543bca/women-congress-elizabeth-warren.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joan E. 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