Underrepresentation

Question 1

What groups are statistically underrepresented in the Scottish Parliament?

Answer 1

Women
Minority Ethnic Groups
Less affluent People
People with disabilities
LGBT people

Question 2

What % of MSPs elected in 2021 were female?

Answer 2

45%

Question 3

What number of MSPs elected in 2021 were from a minority ethnic background?

Answer 3

6

Question 4

How many of the main 5 political parties in Scotland have a female leader?

Answer 4

One - Lorna Slater is the co-leader of the Scottish Greens

Question 5

Why would racism lead to underrepresentation?

Answer 5

Racism may limit the number of candidates picked for an election but it can also put people off getting involved in the first place because of the abuse they face.

Question 6

Anas Sarwar and Humza Yousaf gave an interview to the BBC in 2021 stating what?

Answer 6

racism and islamophobia has been getting worse and they regularly receive violent death threats

Question 7

Why might lack of role models lead to underrepresentation?

Answer 7

To those groups that have been marginalised (excluded / left behind) if they look and don’t see people like them in politics then it can be very off putting. Being more likely to have already suffered abuse as a minority they may be very reluctant to put themselves in such a public position if they have not seen how others have survived it successfully.

Question 8

In the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament how many minority ethnic MSPs were there? (before 2021)

Answer 8

4

Question 9

What is the incumbency effect?

Answer 9

The incumbency effect is where it is easier for people who are in power to stay in power because they can use their position to help them get re-elected. Elected MSPs have a lot of media exposure and tax payer funded help to do their job and so are more well known.

Question 11

For the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament 98% of MSPs were White and it took over 20 years for Kaukab Stewart to become the first ethnic minority women to be elected to parliament?

Answer 11

True

Question 12

How does sexism impact women being represented in politics?

Answer 12

The way women are treated in politics, with the media often more likely to focus on a women’s looks rather than their ideas can be a big barrier to women’s participation.

Question 13

It was reported by the Sunday post that women are ___ to ____ times more likely to experience abuse online than men.

Answer 13

2 to 3

Question 14

How can lack of role models lead to underrepresentation for women?

Answer 14

Politics has always been dominated by men while girls and women were traditionally told their place is in the home. It can then be really off putting for women if they look at politics as a place that is not very friendly for women.

Question 15

How many female FM’s has there been?

Answer 15

One

Question 16

An example of sexism in the media is that Nicola Sturgeons nickname was what?

Answer 16

‘Nippy’ Nicola

Question 17

Why might caring responsibilities lead to underrepresentation?

Answer 17

In our world women are still much more likely than men to take on responsibility for looking after a home and family and so the long hours and weekly travel to Edinburgh can make becoming an MSP more difficult for women with families than for men.

Question 18

Caring responsibilities lead to what happening in the 2021 election?

Answer 18

Two female MSPs including a government minister did not stand again in the 2021 election because of family responsibilities.

Question 19

Why might women of colour be especially underrepresented in the Scottish Parliament?

Answer 19

As they may face the intersectionality of facing both sexism and racism from the public and media.