I am doing my History 390 project on the ‘Woman’s Suffrage Movement’ and came across such an interesting and liberating moment in the movement. Jeannette Rankin was the first female elected official as a Representative in the United State Congress. Rankin was known for her anti-war disposition when it came to voting on sending our troops into the World War I and World War II. Rankin’s most famous for being the voice for females, “I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.” Representative Rankin also voted on giving woman the right to vote. She said, “If I am remembered for no other act, I want to be remembered as the only woman who ever voted to give women the right to vote.”
Moving forward requires knowing where we came from. Every era in time has presented in society a hot reform for women to push: the right to vote, the right to be able to be allowed to work, and now 200+ years forward… We still need to overcome obstacles in our communities and state societies. Throw a stone at the glass ceiling, because one day.. It is going to break, ladies!
April 9th, 2013 at 1:43 am
Well said Lauren! I read a fiction novel called The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood a few months ago over winter break that was about women’s rights. I will be honest, before I read it, I never truly thought about women not having the same rights as men, nor did I ever connect to women who were fighting for rights in the Suffrage Movement. In the novel, all rights of every woman in the US was taken away: they couldn’t own property or money, absolutely no voting rights, they couldn’t go outside alone, some of them couldn’t even raise their own child. It was a scary scenario, but it really makes you thankful for what you have and it also makes you want to keep fighting even today!
April 10th, 2013 at 11:15 am
This is super wonderful! Feminist often carries such a negative reputation, which has created even more barriers that need to be overcome. I’m so happy that there are people like you, and all the wonderfully smart, intelligent. and POWERFUL women on our floor who break down stigmas and stereotypes with an iron fist. Rock on!!!!
xoxoxoxo
–Rodrigo