Less than a hundred years ago … a married women couldn’t own property, had no legal claim to any money she might earn and no woman in America had the right to vote! According to History.com: “Women were expected to focus on housework and motherhood (presumably in that order) not politics.”
Not until the summer of 1920, was the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified: women’s suffrage. It gave American women legal voting rights enjoyed by male citizens since 1776. On this 100th anniversary year of the historic victory, nearly 25% of Congress people and 2 out of 8 leading presidential candidates are women.
I am Woman, hear me roar
Abolitionist and human rights activist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the very first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, NY. According to AmazingWomeninHistory.com, “the suffrage movement in the United States mostly practiced nonviolent methods like protests, petitions, public meetings and distributing literature. Even these methods were considered radical at the time for women, especially public speaking.” And today, some of the best public speaking coaches in the world are, wait for it, women.
A continuing tactic used today, protests, marches, and pickets will line the streets of many cities during 2020. The float, “Years of Hope, Years of Courage ” won Best Theme at the Rose Parade 2020. An ironic and iconic Lady Liberty stood tall. One-hundred women in white marched behind her.
In this election year, we celebrate the past and remind ourselves of the ongoing struggle for equality. Here’s to the century-old struggle by American women who fought for their autonomy and political identities. Ultimately earning not only the right to vote, but also the right to be voted for.
Please VOTE.
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