DAR Essay- The Women's Suffrage Campaign

The Women's Suffrage Campaign

Women have been denied the right to vote in the United States since its founding. In 1776, Abigail Adams tried to persuade her husband, John Adams, to advocate for women's right to vote and hold office because she thought democracy couldn't function without the influence of both men and women. Her attempt to convince him may have been unsuccessful, but what she said started generations of support of women's suffrage. This support has been shown in conjunction with the abolitionist movement in an attempt to make all men and women of all races equal by activists like Paulina Wright Davis, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone. After the Civil War, the movement started picking up the pace and in 1890 the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was formed. This is because the idea of total equality had started to become accepted by many after the Civil War. Many rallies and campaigns later in the aftermath of WWII, September 1918, President Wilson went before the Senate and stated that a women's suffrage amendment was necessary. Now, in 1919, it has been passed and it's about be ratified next year.

As a woman who lives in Pennsylvania, this means that I finally have the opportunity to make a difference politically. Feminist rallies are becoming more frequent and I go to many parades championing equality. Even President Wilson endorses it. I want to dedicate myself to my country and help fight for equality of all different demographics. This means that I don't want to get married and settle down as soon as possible, I want get a job and become economically independent first. It seems so natural to me that in a democracy people vote on something that affects everyone, including women, so it's only fair that women get a say in it.

However, some people like my parents don't approve of women's suffrage. They think that we shouldn't redefine gender roles because society is built upon these roles and changing the balance would cause society to fall. It's not just them who think this. There is an anti-suffrage movement and one poster that I saw was called "Election Day!" and it showed the husband holding two babies while the wife was going to go vote. The poster was made to argue that traditional gender roles are required because they think they are important for the development of children and society. Others feel threatened that women might vote against things like alcohol consumption or smoking that men like to do. Or they think that women are fundamentally different than men and they should focus on caring for the home and not sully themselves with politics. While historically this may be true, one of the central ideas of America is that no matter where you start you have the same rights provided by the government as anyone else. The reason everyone was not granted the same rights initially was that the world was not ready for such a society. America was bound down by its dependence on slavery and so when we declared unalienable rights in spite of England we were hypocrites because only white males that owned property could vote. Therefore, to right this wrong we must have suffrage for all citizens regardless of ethnicity or sex.

This amendment will make a major social impact on the United States. Women will be able to run for office which means some of them will focus on their career and not dedicate themselves only to the home. The idea of women will not be isolated to only homemaker but it will expand to being a breadwinner. This is the first step in a societal shift from a patriarchy to an egalitarian society. Women will no longer be seen as inferior to men because they now have equal opportunity as a man. More women will not become married to pursue their careers. This economic independence will cause more women to decide not to have children at all which will decrease the birth rate. However, this change will happen very gradually as more and more women get jobs and vote.

This will have an impact on America politically because when the amendment is ratified an entirely new demographic of people will help determine the law of the land. With the perspectives of both men and women laws will be made that benefit both because they will be able to reach a consensus by voting. This will encourage equality and soon men and women will only be separated by physical differences with no institutional prejudices that prefer on sex over the other.

Bibliography:

"Suffrage, Women'S." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 2nd ed., vol. 8, Macmillan Reference USA, 2008, pp. 214-218. U.S. History in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3045302664/UHIC?u=lafa91339&sid=UHIC&xid=6fe73f26. Accessed 18 Oct. 2018.

"Election Day!" The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3a51845/.