Arguably women achieved the vote as the social position of women was improving which helped erode male prejudices against them. The Married Women’s Property Act of 1882 and 1893 granted women full legal control of all property they had owned at marriage or that they had gained after marriage, by earnings or inheritance. Changing attitudes was therefore an important factor in winning women the vote in 1918 The militant suffragettes
Some of these changes were for the good, however some created a negative impact. Cultural changes in the 1960’s led to a transformation in the lives of women. Women began to fight for their rights to attain equal pay and to bring an end to domestic violence. This violence included sexual harassment, also women began to demand equal amount of sharing in the housework as well as child bearing. Women began to use contraception and birth control.
Fighting for a cause The women’s suffrage movement, symbol of nineteenth and early twentieth century feminism, is the one most visible manifestation of women’s emancipation. From the birth of the nation to a Constitutional Amendment passed in 1920, suffrage for women had been batted aside, ignored, criticized, and denied. Those who attacked women’s suffrage were attacking much more than the idea that women as well as men should enter the polling booth. Across America women living in the 1900’s were angry and tired of feeling betrayed and treated as an unequal second class citizen. However these brave remarkable women decided to take action that helped forever changed American history, the right to vote.
When we go back to 19th century that was the time when it was witnessed that the male suffrage was prevailing in a number of countries and women suffrage was not there and somehow it ignited a spark among women to fight for themselves and for their rights so that they could be treated as humans and not as animals. In the year 1893, women were able to achieve equal voting rights at national level in New Zealand. The same pattern was followed in Australia in 1902. However, in America, England and Canada women could achieve same voting rights only after the First World War ended. Then came into being the famous movement called The Suffrage Movement during which the women fought for their equal voting rights which all men were enjoying at that time because they were of the view that they were a part of the society too and they deserve all the rights to elect their representatives.
Due to the limited amount of resources and the restrictions laid upon women for practicing rhetoric, it is astonishing how many women were still able to make a significant impact on the field of rhetoric which I feel has paved the way for women’s liberations rights today. Christine de Pizan portrayed the art of rhetoric through language and letter writing as she challenged the boundaries of women’s input at the time. She sought to save the reputation of women, who at the time were being slandered and shine a new spotlight for women’s advancement. It is imperative that more time and space be dedicated to Christine De Pizan in Herricks textbook of rhetoric and many more to follow. Christine De Pizan is a brave woman who stood up to the verbal assaults on women in the 14th century.
Feminism had a slightly different meaning to many at the time but the general consensus was women needed, wanted and deserved “freedom”. Feminists called for equal work rights and the right to express their sexuality freely. An organization called the Feminist Alliance built apartments with daycare centers and cafeterias to allow women with children to enter the workforce (746). The rise of feminism and women in the workplace led to women fighting for the right to have access to birth control and to have freedom to have control over their own bodies. A controversial lecturer, Emma Goldman championed for women to have the right to birth control and was
Past Struggles Paved the Way for Women Today American History Since 1865 Gretchen Henderson January 22, 201 Since biblical times, women have been subjugated to allowing others to make decisions for them. There has been a series of assumptions and usurpations of power over women. This is because women were falsely deemed as the weaker gender and referred to as the “weaker sex” and not being able to make life’s decisions on their own. However this thought of reasoning limited the power of women. Therefore in the end of the 19 century things were about to change and women begin to fight for more rights.
No Lady-Like Lady is Lady Brett Ashley The 1920’s, post-World War I, brought about many changes in the lives of people from the way women dressed, to the rights they were given, to the start of women in the workforce. Women began dressing less-modestly, cutting their hair, and partaking in the usage of tobacco- things that were deemed as extremely inappropriate for a woman at the start of this time. Although these “new women” gained much more independence, the goal of the majority of these was still to marry- usually only working until the marriage began (Benner). Whether married or not, Margaret Sanger felt that women should be able to make decisions about their own body, more specifically their reproductive organs, before equality of gender
She wrote in “Thinking About Shakespeare’s Sister”, about the acceptable actions that were performed on women specifically to oppress them. Actions life domestic abuse, arranged marriages, and being the property of the males in their lives. This was hundreds of years ago, but somewhere along the way we gradually gained independence and respect. I see this not as a need for an end to feminism. Society claims that we have reached a point where sexism is not existence and feminist are just grasping onto thin air to keep their agenda alive.
Between 1890 and 1913 two groups were founded to highlight women’s suffrage and to push for reforms including allowing women to vote. Through the hard work and effort of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and the National Women’s Party (MWP) women achieved the right to vote in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. The current impact of the women’s suffrage movement in society today is the fair and equal treatment of women, having and sustaining the right to vote, and entering into politics. Although more women today are using the rights that were gained in the 1900’s there is still a long way to go. Issues such as equal pay, “the glass ceiling”, and political involvement are still being fought for.