A formal meeting or series of meetings where representatives discuss important issues, or in the United States, the national lawmaking body.
From Latin *congressus*, meaning "a coming together" (*con-* "together" + *gradi* "to step, go"). It originally meant any meeting or encounter.
A congress is literally a "stepping together" of people, ideally moving in step to make laws or decisions. The irony is that modern congresses are famous for not moving much at all.
Historically, ‘Congress’ in many countries referred to legislative bodies that excluded women from membership and often from the franchise itself. Language about Congress was implicitly male for much of its history, with women’s presence treated as exceptional.
Use gender-neutral terms for members (e.g., ‘member of Congress’) and avoid assuming a default male legislator. When discussing history, note explicit gender exclusions where relevant.
["legislature","parliament","assembly","member of Congress"]
Women legislators and staff have played key roles in advancing civil rights, labor protections, reproductive rights, and anti-violence legislation, even when they were a small minority in Congress.
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