15.3 FRQ

In the past two years alone, women’s representation in state legislatures has increased from 25.4 percent to 28.9 percent of all state legislative seats. That year, Nevada, both of whose U.S. Senators are women, became the first majority female legislature. Colorado also came close to gender parity, with a legislature that is 47 percent female. . . . Virginia became a thoroughly blue state in 2019 as women voters finished the state legislative revolution they had started in 2017. To complete the picture, a woman is now governor of mostly rural Kansas.

—Michael Hais and Morley Winograd, “The future is female: The growing political power of women will remake American politics,” Brookings, February 19, 2020

Describe the political trend discussed in the scenario.

 Explain how a social movement contributed to the trend discussed in part A.

 Explain why social movements may be less likely to achieve their goals than interest groups.