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History of gender equality
Feminism during the Victorian era
Womens rights in the victorian era
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Emmeline Pankhurst was the founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union in the year of 1903. Pankhurst grew up with the influence of women’s suffrage and therefore, supplied her with the passion to develop equal right for women to vote. WSPU, also known as the Suffragettes were a militant organisation which campaigned for Women’s suffrage within the United Kingdom. Throughout history, many individuals have held differing opinions on the union having some describing them as “rebellious” while others classify them as “heroes”. One of the worst events to occur includes the massacre of “black Friday” when the suffragettes marched to parliament after the Conciliation Bill was passed however, declared a third reading would not take place. This
Emmeline, founder of the WSPU had 5 children all together and greatly influenced their outlook and perception on the world in which they lived. Historian June Purvis, a feminist supporter, states “women’s history is not just about finding women hidden in the past but about changing the way they have been traditionally represented, about letting their voice be heard” showing just and clarity that the Suffragettes movement were for the rightest cause. Women wanted to gain the right to vote like men and whether that was through military tactics or not, they were seeking equality. Emmeline often advocated the quote “deeds not words” implying that actions are what is going to make the change, nobody is going to listen to what women have to say. Due to militant actions, hundreds arrests were made thus causing for women to go on hunger strike. The hunger strike drew massive public attention as the force feeding was implement. The police would strap the women down and either force their mouth open or put a tub down their down and as far down the throat as they would and would poor liquids*. This punishment was one of the most controversial viewpoints however, seen as one of the most influential movements as the “cat and mouse” act came about; imprisoning women, hunger
Viewing the Union as a “rebellious group” and labelling them as “terrorists” are a few points this individual makes about the group. As many of the organisations tactics were military, and the rage of the 1912 third Constitutional Bill uprose war and many suffragettes fire bombed politicians houses, set churches alights and smashing windows, they were classified as a threat to natural security. Emmeline Pankhurst routed for the women to be arrested and not to just pay the fine as being arrested gained the organisation greater publicity which she sought to have been the main goal; recruit more women through acts of violence. However, Bearman, objects the idea and believes that “the suffragettes were lawless terrorists who delayed votes for women”. This comparison that Berman makes, objectifying them as being terrorists, illustrated that some of the actions that the suffragettes committed were injustice and unlawful and therefore, recruiting people through such violence was only an act an imbecile would commit, not a women gaining rights, allowing them to vote and have a voice within the
Martin Pugh, in his evaluation of women’s suffrage, focuses his narrative on the Victorian Suffragists, especially from the 1870s to 1890s, arguing- unlike many other historians- that their contribution to the securing of votes for women was instrumental. Presented through 10 essays, focusing on specific topics related to the Suffragist movement, Pugh provides an in depth analysis of both the tactics and political climate the Victorian Women’s Suffrage movement faced. Organised in roughly chronological order, the prose is fluent with constant reference to central ideas featuring in each text, consolidating Pugh’s point.
...st through a 22-day hunger strike. During this time, however, doctors tortured her and forcibly fed her. When reporters released stories regarding her situation and the many others who followed in her footsteps, the public was outraged and “the women received widespread sympathy from the public and politicians” (18). Though militant in her tactics, Alice Paul accomplished what she set out to do – gain the public’s attention by any means necessary.
For many years people fought and struggled for change to make the world a better place. People struggle for change to feel equal by actively fighting for human rights, they urge people to abide by the rule of law to accomplish these equal rights, and they fight for a change in the future to ensure that the work they have done is not destroyed by the younger generations. Thanks to the hard work of our ancestors, the freedom that we are granted benefits many people around the world today. If it were not for their struggle we would not have some of the privileges we have today, such as the right to vote. Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells are both exemplary examples of advocates for the women’s suffrage. They marched and protested for the right to vote which eventually led to the 19th amendment. It took a very strong leader to accomplish this goal, a person that believed in the rule of law and a change for the future. These women are just two examples of people who were self motivated for a change. Many other people struggled for a change in what they believed in,and if they fought hard enough their efforts
In the years after 1870 there were many reasons for the development of the women’s suffrage movement. The main reasons were changes in the law. Some affecting directly affecting women, and some not, but they all added to the momentum of Women’s campaign for the vote.
Women were not encouraged to get a job or go to school women were taught pretty much that they were just property owned by men women stayed home and cleaned while men went out and worked, went to school, also went to college. Women were not allowed to have custody of her kids or own land all of it went to the man women were not even allowed to vote Can you imagine life being told your just there to serve men and carry your kids for nine months just to get told they are not yours they are your husbands . So women decided they were done with that and put there foot down and some women created some kind of groups which are the NAWSA (National Woman Suffrage Association).
Women throughout the suffrage act were faced with many challenges that eventually led into the leading roles of women in the world today. Suffrage leaders adopted new arguments to gain new support. Rather than insisting on the justice of women’s suffrage, or emphasizing equal rights, they spoke of the special moral and material instincts women could bring to the table. Because of these women taking leaps and boundaries, they are now a large part of America’s government, and how our country operates.
“I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves” – Mary Wollstonecraft. In the 19th century the hot topic was women’s rights everybody had an opinion about it. Of course the expected ones like Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton had much to say but a few unexpected ones like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass spoke out for women’s rights. The focus will be the responsibilities and roles that the activists played in the Women’s Rights or Feminist Movement. The relevance to the theme is the activists had a very important role toward reaching the ultimate goal of the Women’s Rights Movement. The Women’s Rights Movement was one of the most essential times in American history; it was the fight for women acquiring the same rights as men. Susan B. Anthony was considered the leader of the Women’s Rights Movement after she was denied the right to speak in a temperance convention; she had the responsibility of creating the National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) and helping to secure voting rights by her historic court case, the Trials of Susan B. Anthony. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an important women’s rights activist that helped plan the first organized women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York and wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. Lucretia Mott worked along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton to plan the first women’s rights convention and wrote the, “Discourse on Women”. Lucy Stone formed the American Women’s Suffrage Association (AWSA) and convince individual states to join the effort towards women rights. These women had an influence in the National American Women’s Suffrage Association’s (NAWSA) achievement of the goals in the Women’s Rights Movement. These women had a profound effect on reaching equal rights between men and women.
The women suffrage was first advocated in Great Britain by Mary Wollstonecraft A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792). During the 1830's and 40's British Suffrages received notable aid and encouragement from the Chartists, who fought unsuccessfully for human rights. John Stuart Mill, John Bright, and Richard Cobden were Liberal Legislators that helped to make the Women's Suffrage issues public to Britain. (Banner, Lois W. 2)
Mrs. Dove-Wilcox and Miss Hazel advocate for violence as one of the only tools left to them. The “strong militant” action that they call for is, according to Mrs. Dove-Wilcox’s speech, something that they will “have to adopt in the near future”; the language used leaves room for nothing but necessity. This necessity is echoed by historian June Purvis, who agrees that “militancy was a necessary step for winning the vote”, just as Mrs. Dove-Wilcox argues for the past failure of purely “constitutional”, peaceful methods. In a similar vein, Miss Hazel argues that women must be militant, because they cannot participate in any of the state forces levelled against the suffragettes, claiming that women are only “strong enough to attack public property…all we can do is talk and be
While the women’s suffrage movement was none violent and mainly carried out by organized meetings, lobbying congressman, and picketing protests, the women that participated in it could do nothing to stop the violence of their oppressors from coming to them. In January 1917, the National Women’s Party, led by suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, began to picket, six days a week, in front of the white house for their right to vote. At first largely ignored, they became under frequent attack with no help from the police. Then starting th...
It was Theodore Roosevelt, who stated that, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care”, conveying the idea that with no voice comes no change. In the morning of August 26, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, which centralized mainly on the enfranchisement of women. Today, they have the legal right to vote, and the ability to speak openly for themselves, but most of all they are now free and equal citizens. However this victorious triumph in American history would not have been achieved without the strong voices of determined women, risking their lives to show the world how much they truly cared. Women suffragists in the 19th century had a strong passion to change their lifestyle, their jobs around the nineteenth century were limited to just children, family, and domestic duties. It consisted of a very low rate of education, and job opportunities. They could not share their opinion publicly and were expected to support their male family members and husbands during the time. Women knew that the way to enfranchisement was going to be tenacious, and full of obstacles along the way. Therefore a new organization was formed, The National American Women Association (NAWSA), representing millions of women and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as the first party president. This organization was founded in 1890, which strategized on the women getting education in order to strengthen their knowledge to prepare for the suffrage fight. NAWSA mainly focused on the right to vote one state at a time. In 1917, a member named Alice Paul, split apart from NAWSA because of the organization’s tactics and major goals. Due to this split, many other suffragists from NAWSA bitterly divided into a new organization named, National Women’s ...
Although they were fighting for a worthy cause, many did not agree with these women’s radical views. These conservative thinkers caused a great road-block on the way to enfranchisement. Most of them were men, who were set in their thoughts about women’s roles, who couldn’t understand why a woman would deserve to vote, let alone want to vote. But there were also many women who were not concerned with their fundamental right to vote. Because some women were indifferent in regards to suffrage, they set back those who were working towards the greater good of the nation. However, the suffragettes were able to overcome these obstacles by altering their tactics, while still maintaining their objective.
Through the history, women have always fought for their rights creating a new space for their participation as citizens. After the First World War during the 1920s and 1930s new histories of women suffragettes have been written. During that period of time some activist groups were created, for instance, the Edwardian women’s suffrage movement that created in women a ‘Suffragette Spirit’ with the same goals and purposes even with the same militant procedures such as radical feminism that involved hunger strike and forcible feeding. This argument have become controversial due to different points of view in recent years. Another samples are the formation of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), a group led by Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst under an autocratic system; Women’s Freedom League (WFL), a self-proclaimed militant organization and National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). These groups were formed in Britain giving way to creation of some texts that explain the actions of the feminist groups and were the basis to achieve the right of suffragettes. Furthermore, the author of this article talks about a second narrative published in 1914 by Constance Lytton that explain about her own experiences in a militant period and personal sacrifice in an attempt to vote. Finally, her experience of militancy had become the archetype of suffrage militancy. In addition, she became in a feminist and kept touch with important members of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). According to Lytton (cited in Mayhall, 1995: 326) She said that whilst she felt sympathy towards men, children and even animals – those that she said were ‘down-trodden’ – she had completely ‘been blind to the particular sufferings ...
The Suffragettes was associated with violent measures as well as passive resistances. An important aspect of the Suffragettes tactics was to attack the government leaders at by-elections days. By doing these attacks, some women were arrested and thrown into prison. During, their imprisonments, Suffra...
This speech would be categorized as a political text, set in the fight by the suffragettes to gain the vote for women (among other things; such as general equality in economic matter or human rights) during the XIX and XX century. This speech was delivered in Hartford, Connecticut (US) on November 13th 1913 and it´s an open critical