Category: Women’s Suffrage

Examining social changes occurring in the U.S. at the beginning of the 20^th century, one must admit that the pace and scale gained by the feminist movement were by far among the most impressive ones. By challenging social norms and accepted gender roles, American women transformed the perception of themselves in society, thus, redefining the gender dynamics within it. When considering the legal regulations and policies that allowed for the described change, one must mention the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the process of enforcing the acceptance of the 19^th Amendment has not been linear and consistent, mainly due to the presence of racism and race-based prejudices in some states. Though the early Suffrage movement lacked diversity and the associated perspectives, it did lay the foundation for the 19trh Amendment despite quite vocal claims against change among some of the more racist Tennessee women, who saw the regulation as the gateway to expanding the rights of African Americans.

Remarkably, the arguments that renowned suffragettes introduced in their discussion of the 19^th Amendment varied significantly. For instance, Belle Kearney, while supporting the liberation of women, focused primarily on White middle-class members, whereas Adella Hunt Logan actively promoted the emancipation of women of all races and ethnicities (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). In turn, the perspective that Kearney offered was quite different from those of other prominent suffragettes. For instance, Addams, who also actively encouraged the introduction of the 19^th Amendment into the sociocultural and sociopolitical environment of the U.S., saw it mostly as a natural extension of household duties (666). Therefore, the interpretation of the significance of voting for women that Addams offered did not assign a particularly high value to the change.

The specified idea of viewing the attainment of the right to vote could be seen as trivializing the tremendous change that the right to vote caused for female American citizens. Therefore, Winslows representation of the issue is understandably more popular since the latter insisted on the 19^th Amendment being the opportunity to address the tremendous injustice that American women had been suffering. Specifically, Winslow referred to the change in question as the ethical and cultural awakening of the U.S. Specifically, Winslow explains that significant alterations in the social dynamics are bound to happen once the President realizes that brutal bullying isnt quite a statesmanlike method for setting a demand for justice at home (669). Therefore, the perspectives on the subject matter varied significantly, yet the general idea of change was perceived as tremendously positive

Unfortunately, not all women wholeheartedly supported the introduction of the 19^th Amendment into the American sociopolitical and sociocultural setting. For instance, Tennessee women became quite infamous for their efforts to counteract the introduction of the Amendment and, effectively, ban it (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). To dissect the nature of the described conflict, one should point to the presence of explicit racism within American society of the time (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). According to Hewitt and Lawson (2019), Tennessee women assumed that the 19^th Amendment would become the gateway to African Americans, in general, receiving the right to vote, which Tennessee protesters considered inadmissible. The protests of the Tennessee women signified major injustice within American society, proving the importance of the intersectionality of the feminist movement. Specifically, to become a legitimate fight for equal rights and against sex-based oppression, the Suffragette movement had to include African American, Native American, and Latin American women, as well as women of any descent. As a result, the significance of integration and support of African American women emerged, Logan being among the first ones to emphasize the problem directly (Hewitt and Lawson 2019).

At the same time, one could argue that the suffragettes represented by the Tennessee women were in the minority. Specifically, it is likely that prominent feminists of the time would have responded with indignation and the encouragement of supporting African American women, as well as women of other racial and ethnic minorities. For example, Logans arguments regarding the importance of supporting all women, including African American, Native American, and Latin American ones, should be mentioned (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). Therefore, the focus on multiculturalism and intersectionality was quite prominent despite the presence of racism in the philosophies of some members of the movement.

Finally, it would be wrong to separate the American Suffragette movement from the rest of social trends observed in the U.S. community on the specified time slot. Namely, the aspects of progressivism, such as the movement against segregation and the focus on the needs of the working class intersected with the Suffragette movement to a rather substantial extent (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). Therefore, the sociocultural and sociopolitical changes observed in the U.S. in the 1920s could be seen as a single progressive movement and positive force.

While not being as inclusive due to the neglect of the specific needs of African American women and the lack of representation thereof in it, the U.S. Suffragette movement of the 1920s created a platform for the further emancipation of American women. However, the problem of racism and the resulting complications in advancing the regulation have proven the necessity of inclusivity and the essential principles of humanity to be seen as inseparable for feminism. Namely, embracing the needs of all women and encouraging the interventionalist perspective, particularly, the union among women of all races, religious beliefs, and ethnic communities, has proven to be the critical focus of the feminist movement. Thus, the described change has predetermined the evolution of the American Suffrage movement.

Bibliography

Hewitt, Nancy A., and Lawson, Steven F. 2019. Exploring American Histories. 3^rd ed. MacMillan.

Suffrage is the right to vote, and women’s suffrage is the right of women to take part in the process of voting. Women in different parts of the globe suffer from denial of this right from time to time. This has often led to rise of activist movements such as feminism, in an effort to secure equal rights for women in voting (Foner 5-15).

This situation has also made several authors and researchers write books and articles regarding women’s right to vote. This paper illustrates the thoughts and comments of Professor Kuhlman and Professor Woodworth-Ney, regarding the issue of women’s suffrage in America.

Professors Kuhlman and Woodworth-Ney, both of Idaho State University, have no sharp, contrasting views about women’s suffrage. They have more similarities than differences. They see a trend whereby women in each state of the United States have been fighting for their rights since time immemorial, including the time of the two world wars. This led to the formation of the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment in 1920. Consequently, there was the enactment of several legislations regarding women’s right to vote, thereafter.

Woodworth-Ney looks at women’s suffrage from a consideration of women’s history (Woodworth-Ney 55-85). On the contrary, Kuhlman is inclined towards war, and how it led to women’s denial of their rights, especially the right to vote for democratic leaders. Woodworth-Ney talks about women’s rights as mothers and landowners, whereas Kuhlman is more concerned with their rights as widows and war victims (Kuhlman 66-125).

Kuhlman is more stringent than Woodworth-Ney. She is of the notion that women should have been granted the right to vote at the same time with men. They agree that women were denied the right to vote for a long time, until women’s rights movements brought women’s suffering into the limelight of the society. However, it was not an easy task to grant women this right.

Besides women’s suffrage, the professors and Foner bring out the reproductive role of women and the existing role of patriarchal societies, as well as culture. Women got the right to vote, but they are not fully emancipated from cultural practices that keep them in the private (domestic) sector of societies (Woodworth-Ney 122).

They continue to do most of the household chores while men are at work. Moreover, they rarely hold leadership positions due to cultural practices which suggest that virtuous women are just wives and mothers, who should stay at home (Kuhlman 201). Therefore, women’s suffrage did not address the subordinate role of women in society. The patriarchal society still influences political, social and economic sectors, not only in the United States, but also in the world.

Allowing women to vote was revolutionary. Foner says that the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States constitution was not a solution to women’s problems, as observed by the Radical Republicans (Foner 23). This statement already shows that there was a tag of war between the government and women’s rights activists, regarding women’s right to vote. The transformation was a radical change prompted by activists and women’s rights movements. It came out of pressure by the movements on the government.

In conclusion, the global struggle for women’s suffrage has been an ongoing process, with women’s rights activists and movements emerging from time to time. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that people have certain inalienable rights such as the right to life and engage in the democratic process of their countries. Therefore, women ought to be granted an equal right to vote for leaders of their choice.

Works Cited

Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History (Custom Seagull 3^rd Ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. 2004. Print.

Kuhlman, Erika. Of Little Comfort: War Widows, Fallen Soldiers, and the Remaking of the Nation after the Great War. New York: NYU Press, 2012. Print.

Woodworth-Ney, Laura. Women in the American West (Cultures in the American West). Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Print.

The organized women’s movement in Britain formed and developed during the Victorian era, which was marked by women’s struggle for the right to vote. This fact has a decisive impact on the nature of the women’s movement, its ideology, rhetorics, and political practices. It can also be claimed that the attempts of women to enter the sphere of politics have become the most important determinant in the construction of ideas about British democracy and culture.

Emerged in response to capitalism, the women’s suffrage movement in England began peacefully and transformed into militant actions to obtain the right to vote and establish egalitarianism, which changed their position in cultural and political contexts.

Before the suffrage movement, the British culture was represented by a patriarchal society where women were perceived as belonging to men (Heffer, 1996). Interestingly, among the opponents of the women’s movement for equality with men, there were not only men but also women who regarded enfranchisement as the collapse of their lifestyle. It was believed that females are less clever than males and that politics, for instance, cannot be a worthy female affair as it may destroy their personalities (Heffer, 1996).

In addition, male politicians feared that gender equality establishment could cause the fact that the birth rate would decrease and England would not receive the soldiers for the army. Children were also the property of their father, and girls were educated with the focus on home affairs and obedience to men.

In 1903, Emeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Emancipation Union, the members of which received the nickname of suffragists, but they began their activities in England quite peacefully. Kowal (2000) states that the women’s suffrage movement “emerged as an effect of the onset of capitalism and industrialization” (p. 243). The traditional functions of women who were responsible only for house affairs moved to factories and the state. The characteristic feature of the British culture before the identified movement is their increased participation in public life and occupations outside the home (Kowal, 2000). In turn, the latter made women’s subjugation more evident and caused the conflict between domesticity and outside affairs. Among the vivid examples, there are relatively low wages and poorer working conditions for female workers compared to males.

The transition to equality between men and women in Britain was associated with radical initiatives that were also called militant. In addition to the right to vote, suffragettes demanded that they should not be discriminated against men in society as well as in political and economic spheres. In this period, the performance of London suffragettes for their rights was accompanied by smashing of glasses in shops and private apartments of public institutions and various meetings (Rollyson, 2003).

Women were armed with stones, sticks, and bottles wrapped in paper. As reported by Kowal (2000), they wanted to attract the attention of the male-dominated society by their actions, which were completely opposite to the traditional, discreet culture of England. The mentioned example shows that suffragettes were well-aware of their problems and intentions while they selected radical ways to make a revolution.

However, the nature of the given movement is much more complicated than it may seem initially. Along with the union led by Pankhurst, there was one more group organized by Millicent Fawcett, who targeted moral rationalism and adjustive principles in struggling for women’s rights (Kowal, 2000).

Some women were confused with their views and moved between these two groups, while others working-class females were more interested in labor issues rather than voting. Defining her attitudes as democratic, Pankhurst acted like an autocrat, and her daughters and other members accused her of excessive fighting (Rollyson, 2003). In other words, suffragettes had some internal conflicts that affected their actions.

During the suffrage movement, the argumentation of feminists became stronger. In particular, Nym Mayhall (2001) examines the work of Mill called “The Subjection of Women” and argues that the key root of tyranny is in the family since the sexual subordination of women determines the relations between them and men. Accordingly, the same situation occurs on the state level, causing the resistance of men towards civil changes. In this period, more and more women become aware of their position and the need for equality. For example, Florence Nightingale, a founder of nursing principles, as well as her cousin, were known as activists in improving care for patients (Heffer, 1996). Ladies’ colleges also opened in such areas as medicine, economics, and politics.

The suffragettes, including the most radical thinkers, demonstrated their commitment to egalitarianism, which implies the establishment of equality in civil, economic, and political arenas (Wright, 2010). In particular, they argued the need to recognize women’s rights in the organization of community life, not only the importance of translating the principles of social justice. They regarded women’s enfranchisement as the personification of the national interest of England, the criterion of its civilization, and the correctness of its historical path.

The members of the Women’s Emancipation Union movements in no way opposed themselves to the dominant imperial culture (Wright, 2010). Instead, they stubbornly emphasized their genetic kinship with it and their dependence on this heritage accumulated by generations of Britons. This showed their determination to take full responsibility for performing all the functions that society imposes on them and pride in their involvement in Britain’s worldwide civilizing mission.

Once English women were given a right to vote, the period after the transition began. It should be stressed that not only voting potential but also wider opportunities opened for women. London was selected by the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) as headquarters, being the so-called global press center (Walker, 2006).

This means that the success of the suffrage movement in England positively affects similar groups in other countries. As a result of the struggle, several women played an essential role in the Parliamentary decisions. For example, Nancy Astor may be noted as the first woman to take the seat in the House of Commons, and her Viscountess Astor’s election leaflet clarified that she considers the state as the main value (“The 19th century and suffragists”, n.d.). In general, the culture shifted from treating women as property to viewing them as independent persons having the right to vote and participate in civil affairs.

In conclusion, the suffrage movement of women in England was characterized by militant actions and adjustive measures simultaneously. This historical period largely affected the British culture by reinventing the image of women and making it more independent. In particular, women achieved the transition from pure domesticity to the participation in social, economic, and political issues equally with them, thus proving their abilities and becoming closer to egalitarianism.

References

The 19th century and suffragists. (n.d.). Web.

Heffer, S. (1996). Founding mothers: Victorian society was full of intelligent women going mad with frustration. Then the fightback began. New Statesman, 142(5179), 1-30.

Kowal, D. M. (2000). One cause, two paths: Militant vs. adjustive strategies in the British and American women’s suffrage movements. Communication Quarterly, 48(3), 240-255.

Nym Mayhall, L. E. (2001). The rhetorics of slavery and citizenship: Suffragist discourse and canonical texts in Britain, 1880–1914. Gender & History, 13(3), 481-497.

Rollyson, C. (2003). A conservative revolutionary: Emmeline Pankhurst (1857-1928). The Virginia Quarterly Review, 79(2), 325-334.

Walker, L. (2006). Locating the global/rethinking the local: Suffrage politics, architecture, and space. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 34(1/2), 174-196.

Wright, M. (2010). The Women’s Emancipation Union and radical‐feminist politics in Britain, 1891–99. Gender & History, 22(2), 382-406.

“Anthony needed money to pay for speakers, travel expenses, and tracts. She and Stanton thus accepted an offer by George Train, the notoriously racist Democrat, to pay for a speaking tour and newspaper” (“Salaries, state campaigns, and the “winning plan,” n.d.).

The selected quote is an excellent example of historical causality concerning the movement for women’s suffrage in the past. It shows the cause-and-effect relationship between the lack of substantial funds for the campaigns of activists and the subsequent decision to accept money from the person ideologically opposed to the female participants with their agenda. In this situation, the organizers from national organizations traveling around the country to bring awareness to the population through their lectures could not succeed without financial assistance. If this condition had not been central to their initiatives, they would not have relied heavily on an external source of support, especially from a man. However, no women of the time could afford to spend money on these projects and, consequently, had no other options to make sure their campaigns promptly achieved the established targets.

In the article, the author claims that complications related to the ultimate formal ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, also known as the ERA, were mainly presented by specific provisions. According to this piece, no agreement was possible “as long as the ERA included the Hayden rider, Paul and the NWP opposed its passage” (“The fight for equal rights, 1923-1972,” n.d.). To prevent legal discrimination against women all over the country, it was also necessary to gain the support of political parties, and Republicans were more willing to provide it compared to Democrats. As it is mentioned, “Although John F. Kennedy endorsed the amendment late in the 1960 campaign, he did not push for its passage after winning the White House” (“The fight for equal rights, 1923-1972,” n.d.). In this way, the central point of the article was the presence of obstacles created by the politicians of the time and their proposals.

References

Salaries, state campaigns, and the “winning plan.” (n.d.) [Word Document].

The fight for equal rights, 1923-1972. (n.d.) [Word Document].

The US Civil War is known today as an event that changed the lives of the general population greatly. Still, many people do not pay enough attention to those progressive alterations that happened before it. There were two closely related to each other movements that helped to form our present. The abolition movement, which dealt with the attempt to stop slavery, and the women’s rights movement, which was meant to allow females to enter the political life of the country.

Initially, all women were not allowed to hold any positions that would have at least something to do with decision-making so that they could not lead others and affect the situation, in which the general public existed. Still, with the beginning of the abolition movement, many of them considered that it could be an opportunity for them to implement changes in society. Thus, they decided to take part in it.

A great example, which shows the way the women’s rights movement emerged out of the abolition movement, can be described when speaking about women who were present at the Agents’ Convention of the American Anti-Slavery Society. In 1836, two females decided to streamline the anti-slavery process, participated in the convention, and then started to create their own abolition groups. In order to attract more people and become more influential, they held the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women in the next year.

As a result, 200 females gathered in New York City. Still, at that time they only demanded the immediate abolition of slavery. The attention was paid to the adverse conditions of slavery and violation of “Christian principals and basic human right to equality” (Boundless par. 3). With the emphasis that females were treated unfairly, just like slaves, the activists continued fighting for their rights. However, it turned out that in order to implement such changes, women need to become more influential.

Thus, those who participated in these movements also started to speak about equal rights for both genders, which included such topics as education, employment, and politics. In this framework, women’s suffrage was also underlined. The government considered that females should not interfere in the process and tried to silence them. However, it would not happen this way. Such change led to the beginning of the independent coexistence of women’s rights and abolition movements.

The first convention that affected this situation critically was the 1848 Seneca Falls. It organized by a group of females who gathered under the leadership of Lucretia Mott (Uncle Tom’s Cabin & American Culture par.1). Soon they became known as Quaker women, who are treated as prominent representatives of the movement today. During this event, 300 individuals of both genders gathered to advocate women’s equality, including suffrage, which was a great step forward. As a consequence of this gathering, “Declaration of Principles” was published.

Actually, it was the Declaration of Independence revised to meet the purposes of the women’s rights movement. It framed a range of demands the females had. It was meant to urge “the fair and equal treatment of women as United States citizens, including the resolution that it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise” (Thorpe par. 2). Even though women’s suffrage was not achieved at that time, the next several generations of activists were greatly inspired to fight further and stand their ground.

Prior to passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, the women’s rights movement had to deal with several complications. Internal ideological and tactical struggles prevented it from streamlining and reaching positive consequences as soon as possible (Women in Congress par. 1). Women had different views on the way they saw themselves free. Some were willing to focus on individualistic characteristics and make sure that being equal with men they would have an opportunity to control their decision-making activities. Women were willing to be paid just as men and to receive the same employment opportunities.

Others were more aggressive and believed that females are the ones to have political power. Some also believed that their roles in the society were determined by males that is why they needed to be reconsidered so that women could not only take care of the children but also support the men when receiving their assistance. In this way, ones wanted just to adapt the existing system and others stated that the whole society is to be reconstructed (The Gale Group Inc. par. 25).

Women also had different tactics, to which they referred when trying to bring a change. Some had more militant ideas than others. They were gathering to start marches and inform the rest of the population and obtain more support. The rest, at the same time, would focus on less invasive methods, such as attending conventions (Women’s Suffrage Movement par. 2).

Thus, it cannot be denied that the women’s suffrage movement appeared on the basis of the abolitionist movement that started before that emphasized people’s equality. Utilizing their experience obtained while advocating for the rights of slaves, women received an opportunity to attract attention to themselves and their role in the society. If there was no abolition movement, females would not be likely to achieve success as they did regardless of the fact that this process took several decades.

Works Cited

Boundless. Abolitionism and the Women’s Rights Movement. 2016.

The Gale Group Inc. Women’s Rights Movement. 2003.

Thorpe, Aaron. What Was the Connection Between Abolition and the Women’s Suffrage Movement? 2016.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin & American Culture. The Woman’s Rights Movement. 2016.

Women in Congress. The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848–1920. 2016.

Women’s Suffrage Movement. Tactics / Strategies. 2016.

The historical event under investigation is the women’s suffrage movement and the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In the eighteenth century, the role of women in society was limited culturally and legally. While they were able to vote in some elections in a small number of states, the right to suffrage was taken from women after 1776, when states passed their separate constitutions (Thomas, 2020). As a result, women became fully excluded from any participation in the political development of their country. In 1848, the American women’s suffrage movement began during the Seneca Falls Convention (Wayne, 2020). More than 60 years later, the Nineteenth Amendment prohibiting voter discrimination based on sex was added to the U.S. Constitution. The event is significant because it entrenched women’s equality in law.

The secondary sources used to investigate this topic further recall the chronology of the women’s suffrage movement and the positions and activities of activists. First, the book Women’s Suffrage: The Complete Guide to the Nineteenth Amendment by Wayne (2020) presents a complete guide to the events that led to the development and acceptance of the Nineteenth Amendment. The source includes dates, names, and events that help one better understand the issue and its resolution. Moreover, Wayne (2020) discusses the movement’s pitfalls and the opposition to suffrage. The second source is an article, “Reclaiming the Long History of the “Irrelevant” Nineteenth Amendment for Gender Equality” by Thomas (2020), in which the author challenges the view of the amendment as “irrelevant” to modern politics. Furthermore, the paper discusses the controversial statements of suffragists to gain the public’s support while opposing social justice for African-American men and women. The sources have many similarities in their descriptions of suffrage, but the second paper relates to the modern world, and that is why they were selected. The works were chosen to present a full history of the movement and offer some reflection on the events.

Among the primary sources, two documents stand out as interesting and relevant to the topic. The first is the Congressional resolution that presents the phrasing for the new amendment and proposes its addition (The U.S. House of Representatives, 2023). It relates to the secondary works as a seminal part of suffrage achievements. The second source is a petition submitted to the U.S. Senate by the Women Voters Anti-Suffrage Party of New York. In this document, the party members outline their reasons against the considered amendment and urge the Senate not to vote in its favor (The U.S. Senate, 2023). It is interesting to connect the document to the arguments made by Thomas (2020) where the author shows that the issue of anti-feminism persists. These sources add to the researcher’s understanding of the challenging process that suffragists had to complete to achieve equal voting rights.

An interesting question arises based on the sources and the information presented in them. It is apparent that both men and women opposed the suffrage movement. However, the reasons behind such resistance varied greatly between individuals, including the fear of racial equality, as described by Thomas (2020) and Wayne (2020), and gender equality, as presented in primary documents (Records of the U.S. Senate, 2023). At the same time, the suffrage movement also gained supporters with differing views by exploiting some of the public’s fears of Black people’s voting rights (Thomas, 2020; Wayne, 2020). Thus, the research question for the paper is as follows: How did the anti-suffrage movement and public concerns about civil rights affect the suffragists’ message?

The historical event and its investigation may interest women and people of color, as it explores the complicated history behind the movement and its relationship with other activism efforts. Activists working for change now may also benefit from learning more about this topic to see the effect of public opinion on argument formulation. Therefore, it is necessary to tailor the message by outlining the main events in the paper and adding a brief explanation of terminology and theories if they are used in the essay. To communicate effectively, one must present clear connections between ideas, hypotheses, and arguments.

References

The U.S. House of Representatives. (2023). House Joint Resolution 1 regarding the 19th Amendment. DocsTeach. Web.

The U.S. Senate. (2023). Petition from Women Voters Anti-Suffrage Party of New York to the Senate. DocsTeach. Web.

Thomas, T. (2020). Reclaiming the long history of the “irrelevant” Nineteenth Amendment for gender equality. Minnesota Law Review, 105, 2623–2657.

Wayne, T. K. (Ed.). (2020). Women’s suffrage: The complete guide to the nineteenth amendment. ABC-CLIO.

Examining social changes occurring in the U.S. at the beginning of the 20^th century, one must admit that the pace and scale gained by the feminist movement were by far among the most impressive ones. By challenging social norms and accepted gender roles, American women transformed the perception of themselves in society, thus, redefining the gender dynamics within it. When considering the legal regulations and policies that allowed for the described change, one must mention the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the process of enforcing the acceptance of the 19^th Amendment has not been linear and consistent, mainly due to the presence of racism and race-based prejudices in some states. Though the early Suffrage movement lacked diversity and the associated perspectives, it did lay the foundation for the 19trh Amendment despite quite vocal claims against change among some of the more racist Tennessee women, who saw the regulation as the gateway to expanding the rights of African Americans.

Remarkably, the arguments that renowned suffragettes introduced in their discussion of the 19^th Amendment varied significantly. For instance, Belle Kearney, while supporting the liberation of women, focused primarily on White middle-class members, whereas Adella Hunt Logan actively promoted the emancipation of women of all races and ethnicities (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). In turn, the perspective that Kearney offered was quite different from those of other prominent suffragettes. For instance, Addams, who also actively encouraged the introduction of the 19^th Amendment into the sociocultural and sociopolitical environment of the U.S., saw it mostly as a “natural extension of household duties” (666). Therefore, the interpretation of the significance of voting for women that Addams offered did not assign a particularly high value to the change.

The specified idea of viewing the attainment of the right to vote could be seen as trivializing the tremendous change that the right to vote caused for female American citizens. Therefore, Winslow’s representation of the issue is understandably more popular since the latter insisted on the 19^th Amendment being the opportunity to address the tremendous injustice that American women had been suffering. Specifically, Winslow referred to the change in question as the ethical and cultural awakening of the U.S. Specifically, Winslow explains that significant alterations in the social dynamics are bound to happen once “the President realizes that brutal bullying isn’t quite a statesmanlike method for setting a demand for justice at home” (669). Therefore, the perspectives on the subject matter varied significantly, yet the general idea of change was perceived as tremendously positive

Unfortunately, not all women wholeheartedly supported the introduction of the 19^th Amendment into the American sociopolitical and sociocultural setting. For instance, Tennessee women became quite infamous for their efforts to counteract the introduction of the Amendment and, effectively, ban it (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). To dissect the nature of the described conflict, one should point to the presence of explicit racism within American society of the time (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). According to Hewitt and Lawson (2019), Tennessee women assumed that the 19^th Amendment would become the gateway to African Americans, in general, receiving the right to vote, which Tennessee protesters considered inadmissible. The protests of the Tennessee women signified major injustice within American society, proving the importance of the intersectionality of the feminist movement. Specifically, to become a legitimate fight for equal rights and against sex-based oppression, the Suffragette movement had to include African American, Native American, and Latin American women, as well as women of any descent. As a result, the significance of integration and support of African American women emerged, Logan being among the first ones to emphasize the problem directly (Hewitt and Lawson 2019).

At the same time, one could argue that the suffragettes represented by the Tennessee women were in the minority. Specifically, it is likely that prominent feminists of the time would have responded with indignation and the encouragement of supporting African American women, as well as women of other racial and ethnic minorities. For example, Logan’s arguments regarding the importance of supporting all women, including African American, Native American, and Latin American ones, should be mentioned (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). Therefore, the focus on multiculturalism and intersectionality was quite prominent despite the presence of racism in the philosophies of some members of the movement.

Finally, it would be wrong to separate the American Suffragette movement from the rest of social trends observed in the U.S. community on the specified time slot. Namely, the aspects of progressivism, such as the movement against segregation and the focus on the needs of the working class intersected with the Suffragette movement to a rather substantial extent (Hewitt and Lawson 2019). Therefore, the sociocultural and sociopolitical changes observed in the U.S. in the 1920s could be seen as a single progressive movement and positive force.

While not being as inclusive due to the neglect of the specific needs of African American women and the lack of representation thereof in it, the U.S. Suffragette movement of the 1920s created a platform for the further emancipation of American women. However, the problem of racism and the resulting complications in advancing the regulation have proven the necessity of inclusivity and the essential principles of humanity to be seen as inseparable for feminism. Namely, embracing the needs of all women and encouraging the interventionalist perspective, particularly, the union among women of all races, religious beliefs, and ethnic communities, has proven to be the critical focus of the feminist movement. Thus, the described change has predetermined the evolution of the American Suffrage movement.

Bibliography

Hewitt, Nancy A., and Lawson, Steven F. 2019. Exploring American Histories. 3^rd ed. MacMillan.