Parallels and Ruptures in Parity Normativity in Mexico and Jalisco (1953–2024): Women’s Political and Electoral Rights and Gender-Based Political Violence

Abstract

This essay analyses the legal and normative evolution of women’s political-electoral rights in Mexico and in the state of Jalisco between 1953 and 2024, with emphasis on the construction of the principle of parity and the legal classification of gender-based political violence. From a comparative perspective, it begins from the premise that the formal recognition of rights does not automatically guarantee substantive equality, which depends on the interaction between norms, institutions, and party practices. The central hypothesis argues that, although both contexts followed parallel trajectories in the expansion of women’s political rights, relevant ruptures can be identified in the pace of reforms and in their effective implementation. Methodologically, the study is based on a historical-normative analysis of constitutional and legal reforms, as well as on the review of judicial criteria and federal and state electoral guidelines. It concludes that, despite normative advances, structural resistance persists within the party system, limiting both parity and the violence-free exercise of women’s political-electoral rights.