This paper aims to contribute to the literature studying the persistent gap in internal political efficacy despite the significant gains in women’s employment, education, and economic status. It examines how women’s gender appropriate roles – a slow-moving force constrained by processes of gendered socialization – interact with the political realm to shape women’s perceived capacity to take part therein. We draw on both observational and experimental data from an original survey fielded in Spain and show that while politics is generally associated with competition, power-seeking and assertiveness, women identify with such traits to a lower extent than men. Due to this mismatch, women are less likely to feel they have the qualities needed to take part in politics. What is more, we show that framing politics as a public service to others, rather than as a competitive sport, leads women to perceive themselves just as qualified to take part in politics as men, making vanish the gender gap in internal political efficacy.