Cross-posted at Ms. JD.

I was going to throw up.  The first day’s reading for my Gender Violence, Law and Social Justice course involved graphic articles about the rape in Steubenville, Ohio.  As I was reading about the horror inflicted on a sixteen-year old girl, my body reacted physiologically.  I felt sick, but also angry.  In light of such an obvious attack on women, why can’t Congress reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act?

Partisan divide explains some of Congress’ incapacity to act (though it still confuses me why women’s safety isn’t a concern of both parties).  The dearth of women in Congress also contributes to legislative inaction on women’s issues.  That’s why I’m so excited for EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock to speak at the 7^th Annual Harvard Women’s Law Association (WLA) Conferenceon February 8, 2013.  EMILY’s List encouraged, endorsed, and ensured that women won seats in the House and Senate as well as in state executive and legislative positions.

I’m also excited to hear from Michelle Wu, who graduated from Harvard Law School last year and is now running for an at-large seat in the Boston City Council.  Ms. Wu will be speaking on the “Tips from the Trail: Gender in Political Campaigns” panel at the WLA Conference.  It is inspiring to witness women running for office.  As an Asian-American woman, it is especially meaningful for me to see Ms. Wu contend for a spot in government.

Thanks to EMILY’s List, when women run, they can win.  Women such as Elizabeth Warren and Claire McCaskill have proven to be formidable candidates.  The 2012 election was a watershed moment for women in government.  For the first time in American history, women now constitute 19 percent of Congress.  More women than ever have access to the floor of Congress (if only access to the bathroom could keep up!).  When women command the floor, they can share their perspective.  They can shift the national dialogue around women’s issues.  They can argue to reauthorize VAWA.

I dream that our Congress will one day pass legislation even more protective of women’s rights than VAWA.  This will only happen if that 19 percent grows.  And how will that happen?  You should run.

Annie Lee is a second-year student at Harvard Law School.

Cross-posted from Ms. JD.

I doubt anyone on the debate room floor during the second debate could have predicted the way Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” explanation would take off. Of course, the moment the quote hit the airwaves social media exploded. By the time the tumblr and facebook pages appeared, the appeal of the phrase was clear: it seemed ridiculous that a business man and public servant with a resume like Mr. Romney’s would have had so little interaction with qualified women to require staffers to compile binders.

Post-election, I’ve been thinking about an entirely different set of “binders full of women” – the overflowing intake binders at domestic violence shelters and women’s health clinics across the country.

With the Violence Against Women Act on life support, and women’s health clinics under attack by state legislators, women’s gains in the 2012 election – making up a record-breaking 19% of congress – are as crucial as ever. A government that can let the Violence Against Women Act die is one that clearly minimizes American women’s safety and experiences, as we so often witness in the reproductive health context: who can forget the senate contraception hearing without a single female panelist?

The 7^th Annual Harvard Women’s Law Association Conference, “19%: When Will Women Have The Floor?” could not come at a better time. Congresswomen’s reactions to both the VAWA crisis and the all-male contraception hearing highlight the importance of achieving gender parity in government. The conference will provide an opportunity on February 8^th for female leaders and our community to celebrate and assess our recent victories, and to brainstorm ways to sustain our momentum in the years to come.

We’ve still got 31% to go!

Stephanie Davidson is a third-year student and is the Harvard WLA President.