(Alabama and Georgia were the first to reject the amendment. And those who celebrate women’s right to vote have to love Wyoming – who threatened to not join the Union unless they were allowed to give women the right to vote years earlier.)
Today is important for many reasons. It helps to remind us that our Founding Fathers recognized that adjustments are needed at times and those changes have been made, which is part of the process they embedded into our Constitution that helps to keep it alive and relevant. It is also important to remember that ideas have changed over the years – women were not thought capable or deserving of voting privileges and today are actively courted by politicians for their votes.
It also helps to remind us how important this right is and how new this right is, relative to our history:
- For more than half of the history of the United States and the life of our Constitution, women did not hold the right to vote; they were not afforded the privilege of participating in one of the most valued processes of our Constitution.
- Both of my grandmothers were born without the right to vote.
The battle for equality did not stop with the passage of the 19th Amendment and, those who are old enough – like me -- can remember those battles.
- When I was married (less than 40 years ago), all but one of my credit cards were canceled simply because I married – and it was all legal, despite the fact that my salary was twice my husband’s at that time. They told me that to continue using them would require transferring to my husband’s name and credit. (The exception – Diners Club.) Being a bit stubborn, I refused to do that - with my husband’s support.
- A good friend inherited stock from her father in 1970 – but was not allowed to sell that stock without a “note from her husband.” Her father, her investments – but preventing her from making the decision to sell was perfectly legal and acceptable.
- When I graduated college in 1970, it was assumed that a woman attending college would either teach or become a nurse. And, despite the fact that it was a publicly funded school, women could not wear pants on campus.
- High school sports for women? Not heard of.
Unfortunately, there is still some work to do. Women still make less money than men for the same occupation, for example. We have not had a woman President. Some of the old attitudes still exist.
We need to work on those, but everyone should take a moment today to celebrate what has been accomplished.
And, if you are a woman of voting age, remember how precious your right to vote is, remember how many people fought for so many decades to achieve that right, and exercise that right with diligence and intelligence:
1. Educate yourself. Research, discuss, learn from the opposite view, do not rely on tv or radio ads and do not rely on one media source, whether conservative, liberal, independent or in-between. I know it takes time, but remember those 72 years it took to attain the right for you to vote; I know it’s hard work to effectively research past the obvious, but what could be more important?
2. Vote! Vote in every election, no matter how small, no matter how seemingly unimportant.
3. Encourage others to do the same.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/11/02/collins.everything.changed.women/index.html
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage1900/a/august_26_wed.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-kelly/the-work-behind-womens-eq_b_695638.html
