Women's Equality
Words by: Maggie Laubscher | Music by: Abby Yemm
Today marks 101 years of women’s right to vote in our country. It marks the moment that women started to gain voting rights. It honors a beautiful and flawed milestone; a mile marker on a continuing journey.
On this day in 1920, a woman’s right to vote became a permanent part of the U.S. constitution as the 19th Amendment. The door was cracked open for change.
THE CAVEATS
Of course, it was only some women. Inevitably, it was far from cut and dry. And certainly, it had strings attached. Women were left to navigate complicated state laws, restrictive citizenship requirements, literacy tests, threats, intimidation and violence. Women also needed to be privileged and white.
ON NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN
In 1920, Native American women were not even U.S. citizens, much less allowed to vote. Their rights came in 1924, but it took nearly 40 more years for Native women to earn widespread voting rights.
ON ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN
Non-native Asian American women didn’t earn voting rights until 1952. This was despite having fought alongside their white female counterparts to achieve the 1920 female vote. One Chinese immigrant, Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, gave speeches, wrote impassioned articles and marched for women’s voting rights beginning when she was just a teenager. (Source: The New York Times)
ON BLACK WOMEN
Black women also marched and fought alongside white suffragists, and yet they were not supported in getting to the polls following 1920’s victory. They were pushed aside, made to walk in the back at marches, and spoken down to. Black women could not reliably vote until 1964’s Civil Rights Act was passed. The following year’s Voting Rights Act further helped Black women -- and other marginalised groups -- when it banned Jim Crow-era literacy tests.
TODAY
Today, women out-number and out-vote men. Voter suppression still goes on, but we are making strides. Women continue to fight for gender equality, pay equality, and workplace equality.
And yet. The 1920 women’s voting amendment did crack the door open. It helped fuel change. And for that, we celebrate today. We honor the milestone and continue the fight.
Here’s to the fight, Nellies. Let’s march on.
An Abby Yemm playlist for you…
A playlist created by Abby Yemm
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