FLASHBACK 1826

"i'm free and i love to be free...to live my life the way i want...to say and do whatever i please..."
women weren't always excluded from voting. a rich old widow named lydia taft was allowed to vote in town meetings in uxbridge, massachusetts. and new jersey permitted women to vote if they had at least £50 in cash or property, referring to the voter as "he or she". a law was passed, in 1807, to exclude women. so, in 1826, a scottish woman named frances wright comes to america and doesn't like what she sees. she starts giving lectures on women's suffrage. then, in 1836, polish born ernestine rose campaigns so hard for the right to vote that she even gets a hearing with the new york state legislature, with a petition that only has 5 signatures.  in 1840 boston, lucretia mott and margaret fuller are fighting for women's suffrage. and, in 1848, lucretia mott becomes the first woman nominated for federal executive office when, liberty party nominee, gerrit smith calls for extending women the right to vote. that same year, strong women begin holding conventions for women's rights. these rights include more than just the right to vote. women also want social and legal equality. i could go on and on, and name every single important female that fought for women's rights, but we would be here all day...so i'm gonna skip to 1890. that year, two separate women's right organizations decide to merge. their leader? susan b. anthony. this group obtains a hearing before congress every year until 1919. on may 21, 1919, a bill introducing the 19th amendment is brought before congress for the 5th time. it passes the house with 42 votes more than necessary. on june 4, 1919, the bill passes the senate. it is not ratified by the 36 required states until august 26, 1920. 
FLASH FORWARD today
it's november 6, 2012. election day. i am so excited for this day to be over. my state, ohio, is a swing state. both parties have inundated my television with attack ads. i can't get on any form of social media (facebook, twitter, even pinterest) without being attacked by "friends" who think i'm an idiot if i don't vote how they vote. for a second, i consider not voting. then i remember how hard all these women fought for my right to cast that vote. i think about how lucky i am that the law DOESN'T require me to stay at home and not be heard. so, today, i will find my warmest coat (it's brrrrr chilly rabbit out there!) and go stand in line for an hour or two. and i will cast my vote for the candidate i feel represents me the best. and, win or lose, i will be satisfied that my voice was heard. 
male or female...please exercise your right today. let your voice be heard. 

                 

 

^lucretia mott and susan b. anthony^