As a young woman in politics, I often wonder when it will no longer matter that I’m a woman in politics and when I’ll be commended for my work alone, no matter my sex.

I speak very proudly of my role and responsibilities as an MSYP, and I’m forever grateful that I’m able to do what I do.

Though sometimes, I have to remind myself that society wasn't always so accepting of ambitious, influential, and opinionated women - and to an extent, it still isn’t.

I fully recognise that female representation is continually growing within Scottish and UK politics, and I think it’s fantastic that being a woman is no longer a barrier to this world that it once was.

Kamala Harris was the first-ever female US Vice President

Only a couple of weeks ago did we see the proportion of women elected into the House of Commons increase to more than 40%, while In the Scottish Parliament, women account for 46% of members.

Meanwhile, in the Scottish Youth Parliament, the board of trustees is fully female and the membership as a whole is the most diverse and inclusive parliament in the UK.

However, for a very long time, women were disempowered to speak up for what they believed in; told to stay quiet as if their opinions and arguments held no weight, and were reminded of this constantly.

From when the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 was passed, giving women the right to stand as a Member of Parliament, it took until 1997 for women to attain a 10% representation among MPs in the House of Commons.

This clearly shows that society’s negative perception of women’s opinions and ideas contributed massively to the severe underrepresentation of females in parliament back then, but we have since proven ourselves to be more than capable in positions of power, so what’s the excuse now?

The truth is, there are many reasons why women may not wish to enter into the world of politics.

Nevertheless, there are many organisations all around the world aiming to change that.

‘Elect Her’ is an organisation funded by the Scottish Government, amongst other contributors, which empowers women with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to advance in their political careers and succeed once elected.

Their mission is to encourage women to take the step into politics, and their ultimate goal is to build a world where at least 51% of elected officials are women.

I think it’s brilliant that there is support and encouragement out there for us to follow our passion, however, I just wonder how long it’ll be before being a female world leader, or even a female local councillor will be so normalised, being female won’t even be worth a mention.

For now, women in politics still qualifies as a topic of discussion, but hopefully, one day, being a woman in politics will be no big deal.