Table Of Contents
- Women’s Suffrage: Understanding the Movement in Brief
- Women Voting Rights: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Its Reality
- Interesting Facts About Women’s Voting Rights You Should Know
- 1. New Zealand Led the Way
- 2. The Most Recent Nations to Grant Women the Vote
- 3. Losing the Right to Vote
- 4. Women Vote More Than Men in Many Countries
- 5. A Gradual Expansion of Voting Rights Worldwide
- Your Exclusive Rights as a Woman Voter
Women Voting Rights: What Rights Did We Really Get After Women’s Suffrage Movement?
Things were going great for the male-dominated society till the time their female counterparts had some sort of awakening and started demanding something shocking: WOMEN VOTING RIGHTS.
Yes, that was precisely what happened in the first half of the 1800s. And let me tell you something obvious: not a lot of people supported this cause.
However, as we now know, women exercise their voting rights more than men, with an average gap of around 7 million.
But how did we get this right? And what are some of the things that we do not know about women’s voting rights?
If these are some of the things that you want to know, keep reading this blog till the end…
Women’s Suffrage: Understanding the Movement in Brief
Have you ever wondered exactly what women had to endure in the past? And no, I am not talking about the 17th or 18th century—I am talking about just a century ago.
Throughout history, women have had to face really poor treatment. Education, occupation, legal rights— there was nothing for us.
Now, it was not always like this. In ancient civilizations in some parts of the world, women actually had more rights than men. However, it all turned for the worse during the medieval era.
But luckily there was an awakening: this was the women’s suffrage movement.
This was a long and hard battle that women in the United States fought to get their right to vote. And just for the record, this was not merely for securing their place in the ballots.
Rather, the women’s suffrage movement was all about demanding equality, challenging societal norms, and pushing back against a system that treated women as second-class citizens.
In the mid-nineteenth century, this movement gained a lot of momentum. And if I have to be exact, the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 marked a turning point in the battle.
With leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, this was a historic gathering where women came together to demand equal political rights as their male counterparts enjoyed in the society.
And let me tell you that this did not come to fruition overnight. Over the decades following this, people saw suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, and Alice Paul leading protests, marches, and legal battles.
And what was their goal? That’s right: to push for change!
However, despite their efforts, they faced resistance as the influential and powerful sections of the society did not agree. They were tortured, but they refused to back down!
Women Voting Rights: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Its Reality
By now, you are aware that women had to fight a long battle to get the voting rights that we enjoy today. And it all came to a fruitful ending in the year 1920.
With the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 18, 1920, which ratified women’s voting rights, the “marginalized” section of women had a historic win.
It stated:
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
With this amendment, women finally got their legal right to vote. And this marked the struggle that was going on for decades, which the pioneer suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and countless others were fighting.
However, there is one thing that you should know. You see, while this was in fact a monumental step, it did not guarantee the right to vote for all women immediately.
That’s right!!
Even though a lot of people assume that with the 19th Amendment, all women gained equal access to the ballot, that is not really the case.
In reality, it only empowered certain sections of women in the world. Women of color, Indigenous, Asian, and Latina women, continued to face voter suppression.
And there were a lot of tactics that were used by the government and society in general for barring women’s participation in forming the government.
For instance, some of the southern states used poll taxes, literacy tests, and other practices that were discriminatory in nature to prevent Black women from voting.
On the other hand, people did not even consider Indigenous women as citizens of the United States until 1924. This automatically ensured that they did not enjoy the voting rights as other American women.
Interesting Facts About Women’s Voting Rights You Should Know
While it is true that voting rights have really come a long way for women, you need to understand that the entire journey has been quite complex. And this is mainly because different countries took a different path in this journey to legal freedom.
So, does that mean the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was not the first time women started voting? Yes, that’s absolutely right.
Apart from this, here are some other interesting facts related to voting rights for women that you should know about:
1. New Zealand Led the Way
Not a lot of people are aware of this, but New Zealand was actually the first country to grant women the right to vote in national elections in 1893.
While it is true that the United States passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in the year 1920, there were several other countries that allowed women to cast their vote in elections.
For instance, at least nineteen other countries, including Finland and Norway, had enfranchised women already. Even Russia granted voting rights to women in 1917.
2. The Most Recent Nations to Grant Women the Vote
Did you know that Bhutan, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait are some of the latest countries in the world to grant voting rights to women.
Bhutan became a democracy in the year 2007, and that is when women there got their voting rights. On the other hand, after amending the Constitution in the year 2005, Kuwait also granted women their right to vote.
Additionally, when it comes to the UAE, the country still does not hold national elections. However, women could start casting their votes in local elections very recently, from 2015.
3. Losing the Right to Vote
While a lot of countries granted voting rights, there are also a few countries that have revoked this right. And among all of them, Afghanistan stands out the most.
In 1919, when the country gained independence, women were allowed to vote. However, because of the unstable political conditions of the country in the recent years, their voting rights were snatched away from them.
Today, although Afghan women technically have voting rights, severe restrictions limit their participation
4. Women Vote More Than Men in Many Countries
While it is true that women did not have voting rights for the longest time in history, currently, the number of women voters is a lot more than that of men.
For instance, ever since the year 1984, women have turned out to vote at higher rates than men in every presidential election in the United States.
And just to make it clear, there are several other countries like South Korea and Sweden who have similar data!
Read More: An Exhaustive Guide on John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
5. A Gradual Expansion of Voting Rights Worldwide
Between the years 1893 and 1960, women in more than half of the countries of the world got their right to vote.
Switzerland (1971), Portugal (1976), and Liechtenstein (1984) were among the last countries to accept suffrage and grant the right to vote to women in Europe. Yes, these happened after the Civil Rights Act of 1964!
Additionally, the right to vote came much after the decolonization in Africa. Which is why you must have heard that many countries here secured universal suffrage between 1950 to 1975.
Your Exclusive Rights as a Woman Voter
In conclusion, even though it is true that the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was a breakthrough moment in the legal history of America, it did not really dismantle the systemic barriers that women faced.
Irrespective of getting their rights, most women were marginalized and barred from exercising their votes. For instance, many Asian immigrant women were denied citizenship—and thus voting rights—until the mid-20th century.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it better for women as a lot of state laws that were oppressive in nature were banned officially.
However, even now there are several sections of the society where women experience voter suppression. Officials often use tactics like purging voter rolls and implementing strict ID laws to prevent women of color and low-income voters from voting.
But you need to stay aware.
You don’t need to be Mary Terrell or Elizabeth Cady Stanton to fight for your rights in the modern world. You can be you and raise your voice at the slightest moment you feel like your rights are being stripped off!
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