Essay On The Equal Rights Amendment And The Struggle For Women's Rights

For many years women in particular had to fight for gender equality which is still something we fight for today. In the late 1800s and early 1900s women came together to end one of the most controversial issues of that time; voting. Some prominent women figures that are known today helped shape women of our generation by helping this cause. With the passing of the 19 amendment (women suffrage) it led to dramatic changes in the political and economic systems. At this time men believed women belonged in the kitchen, but with the laws now changing it started to turn things around.

Susan B. Anthony led the women’s suffrage movement, a movement that impacted the lives of American women forever. Although Susan B. Anthony participated in other movements, such as the temperance movement and the abolitionist movement, but she mainly focused on women’s rights. As a member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, she was determined to bring American women their rights. To accomplish her goal of gaining full citizenship for women, she attempted to vote on Election Day, and then suffered the consequence of being arrested. However, this incident did not stop Anthony from achieving her goal.

The event that really kick started the movement was in 1903 when Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter founded the Women’s Social and Political Union, also known as the WSPU (“The Women’s Suffrage Movement”). With this, many other groups started to form and branched out throughout the whole country. At this time women in America were going against ‘The Cult of True Womanhood’, which was the idea that you were a “true” woman only if you were a helpful wife, did chores around the house and other family related things (“The Fight for Women’s Suffrage”). Lastly, with different groups forming and women going against ‘The Cult of True Womanhood’, it put together a new outlook of what it meant to be a woman in the United

The women’s suffrage movement paved the way for equal voting rights for all women throughout the twentieth century. Many strong and inspiring women fought for the rights that we now have today. One of them, including Alice Paul. Paul played a major role in pressuring Congress to pass the 19th amendment. Instead of sitting quietly in peaceful protests and campaigns, she refused to be a small voice in a sea of power-hungry men and oppressed women and made herself and women’s struggles known to America.

Speeches, particularly the one made by Susan B. Anthony, were influential in affecting the way people viewed the rights of women. Their efforts in the 1840’s eventually lead to the 19th amendment (which gave women the right to vote) being passed in 1920. The key leaders of the Women's Reform Movement of the 1840’s were

“This movement was far from unified, however; strife and division often arose as activists faced the difficulties of meeting the diverse needs and priorities of the women of America” (Andreas et al. ).The WRM did start in the 1800’s which is long before Trifles came out, but the movement lasted until the twentieth century. Through the WRM, Trifles is able to suggest that Glaspell lives in a society of women gaining the ability to protect each other and themselves by fighting for their freedom and rights. Despite the stereotypes and restrictions placed on women based on their gender, they still united as one to gain equality. Trifles came out in the twentieth century and the story illustrates an abusive emotional relationship between a married couple to which Mrs. Wright becomes a suspect in killing Mr. Wright.

Today, millions of women can implement their rights to vote in all elections in the united states of America, but this (rights) did not come easily to those women who sacrifice their lives to make this happen. In the speech “Address to Congress on Women’s Suffrage”, Catt delivered her message for women’s right from a firsthand account of what she had experienced as a woman living in the United States of America in the 19th century. She advocated for the rights of women to vote because she believes in equal rights and justice for all citizens. The speech was very successful because of the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. The purpose of the speech was to pressure Congress into passing a legislation that would give women the right to vote in the United States of America.

In a time of fighting for freedom, not all felt free. The new declaration claims “All men are created equal”, leaving the women still with no rights and completely relying on men. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, used her position to bring forward her own strong feminist views and felt women should be included in the declaration. Abigail’s fight for women's rights made an extensive impact on history because she pioneered a path for future women to come. While Abigail Adams fought for women's rights, John Adams thought women should just be house workers and supporters.

There was a first wave and second wave of feminism that took place in the late 19th and 20th century. This first wave brought many changes. Women of this time realized they wanted basic control of their lives. They wanted the right to vote and own property. “The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in the United States.

She supported the belief that motherhood in itself was not derogatory or damaging. But when women do not acquire proper formal education, because of then duty as mother or wives then they suffer from loss of self-esteem and dignity. Wollstonecraft states that women should not sacrifice themselves at the altar of motherhood. Wollstonecraft says, “To be a mother a woman must have sense, and that independence of mind which few woman possess, who are taught to depend entirely on their husbands. Such wives are foolish mothers”(106).