Assignment task: Research the proportion of three or more of the following: women, African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and openly gay or lesbian members of Congress.
1. Reflect on what these patterns say about the nature of representation.
2. Why do you think some groups tend to be underrepresented in Congress?
3. Why do you see a trend in which more women and minorities are being represented?
4. Do you think the underrepresentation of women and minorities affects Congress's business?
5. How might we, the citizens, as a people, address this situation and strive towards equal representation? Make sure to cite sources used.