A member of a legislative assembly, especially in state or regional government.
From 'assembly' (from Old French 'assembler,' to gather together) + 'man.' A straightforward modern compound describing someone representing an assembly.
State assemblies in the U.S. are where most politics actually happens—Congressional representatives often use them as stepping stones, but these local legislators directly control things affecting daily life like school funding, roads, and local laws.
Originally referred only to men; female legislators historically excluded from formal titles or lumped as 'assemblywoman,' reinforcing gender-segregated vocabulary in governance.
Use 'assembly member' or 'legislator' instead, which are gender-neutral and modernly inclusive.
["assembly member","legislator","representative"]
Women have served in legislative bodies since the early 20th century but often faced erasure through male-defaulted language.
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