#RealTalk is part of an ongoing column for the WiB blog in conjunction with our discussion sessions in real life where we take a look at different topics in hopes of shining a light on prevalent issues in marginalized communities.
For this installation of #RealTalk, we’d like to look through the history lens to learn more about women’s suffrage, a topic that is current to the debates around the U.S. Presidential Election. It is also a subject that has recently piqued the interest of many with the release of Netflix's film Enola Holmes, set during the women’s rights movement in 19th century England.
So, let’s take a look at some of the key facts about the women’s universal suffrage movement, especially in the United Kingdom, where it was one of the first countries to grant women the same voting rights.
1. Campaigning efforts started in the 19th century
The campaign started in 1866 where a group of women organized a petition that demanded that women should have the same political rights as men, gathering over 1500 signatures in support of the cause. However, the amendment to the Second Reform Bill, which would give women the same political rights as men, was defeated by 196 votes to 73. Therefore, in 1887, Millicent Fawcett organized the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies-the Suffragists, to campaign peacefully for the vote.
Due to a lack of significant progression, in 1903, the Women's Social and Political Union – the Suffragettes was formed, led by Emmeline Pankhurst. The Militant Suffragettes used violent protests, including breaking windows and chaining themselves to railings. Another group campaigning for the vote was the East London Federation of Suffragettes formed in 1913 under Sylvia Pankhurst, another well-known militant suffragette.
Despite all the campaign efforts, women had not won the vote by 1914.
2. First World War changed the sentiment
However, the sentiment of granting women the same voting rights changed after the First World War. The British society realized the great contribution of women to the economy and the war, while men were fighting at the front line. In 1918, the English government passed the Representation of the People Act giving the vote to all men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 who were householders or married to a householder. Eventually, all women were granted the same voting rights as men in 1928.
3. Global Progress of women’s suffrage
New Zealand was the first country in the world to allow women to vote in elections in 1893. One of the major figures campaigning such movement, Kate Sheppard, is the face of the country’s $10 bill. Saudi Arabia is one of the recent countries to grant women the right to vote and run for office in 2015.
This year marks more than a century since women’s suffrage, and yet, the fight for equality isn’t over. According to UN Women, only 24.3% of all national parliamentarians were women as of February 2019, a slow increase from 11.3% in 1995. The silver lining is seeing how the expansion of voting rights to women has been essential to the fight for equality, whether in the workplace, in the classroom, in cultural norms, or in the voting booth.
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