The Women’s Committee celebrated 100 years of Votes for Women by re-enacting sashes, slogans & period wear of those difficult times at the start of Women’s Suffrage.
The history of the UK suffragette movement is a long and complex one, filled with struggles, triumphs, and setbacks. From the early days of women’s suffrage, when women were denied even the right to vote, to the present day when women have gained a significant level of political and social power, the fight for women’s rights has been a long and difficult one.
The first recorded instance of women’s suffrage in the UK took place in 1792, when Mary Wollstonecraft published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In this influential work, Wollstonecraft argued that women were just as capable as men and deserved the same rights and opportunities. However, her ideas were largely ignored by the mainstream at the time, and it would be many years before the suffrage movement gained any significant traction.
The first organized suffrage group in the UK was the National Society for Women’s Suffrage, founded in 1872. This group was led by a group of wealthy, educated women who believed in the need for women’s suffrage, but their focus was largely on obtaining the right to vote for middle-class women. Working-class women were largely excluded from this group and not considered a priority.
In 1903, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was formed by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. This group was much more radical than the National Society, and they were willing to use more extreme methods to achieve their goals. The WSPU became known for their militant tactics, which included protests, vandalism and even hunger strikes.
The WSPU’s tactics were controversial, and they faced significant opposition from both the government and the general public. However, their efforts did bring attention to the suffrage cause and helped to build support for women’s rights. In 1906, the WSPU organized the first of what would become a series of massive suffrage marches in London. These marches, which attracted tens of thousands of women, helped to increase public awareness of the suffragette movement and put pressure on the government to take action.
Despite the efforts of the suffragettes, progress was slow, and it was not until 1918 that The Representation of the People Act, which granted women over the age of 30 the right to vote, was passed. This marked a major victory for the suffragette movement and a significant step forward for women’s rights in the UK.
However, it would be another ten years before all women over the age of 21 were granted the right to vote, with the passing of the Equal Franchise Act in 1928. This act finally granted women the same voting rights as men and marked the end of the suffragette movement in the UK.
After the passage of the Equal Franchise Act, the focus of the suffrage movement shifted to other issues, such as equal pay and reproductive rights. The Women’s Liberation Movement, which emerged in the 1960s, helped to further these causes and bring about significant changes for women in the UK.
Today, women in the UK have come a long way from the early days of the suffrage movement. They have the right to vote, to hold office, and to access education and employment on an equal footing with men. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that women are truly equal and that they are able to fully participate in all aspects of society and with equal rights, responsibilities, recognition & remuneration in the workplace.
The history of the UK suffrage movement is a testament to the power of perseverance and determination. Despite significant opposition and setbacks, women in the UK have fought hard to gain the rights and opportunities that they deserve. And although the fight for equality is not yet over, the progress that has been made is a testament to the hard work and dedication of those who came before us.
Sefton UNISON believes in, and campaigns for, fair & equal workplaces for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, race or disability and is ready to stand by your side when you need us.
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