16 Feb Who Runs the World – Girls!
Who Runs the World – Girls!
Celebrating 100 years Since Women were Given the Right to Vote!
Working with in an industry that is heavily influenced by women and for a company whose fabulous leader is female, this week I felt it important that we celebrate and reflect on how far we have come in the fight for equality between genders.
The 6th of February this week marked the 100 year anniversary of the Representation of the People Act being passed, which granted women over the age of 30 the right to vote for the first time.
For this – we have to thank the famous and powerful movement known as The Suffragettes and two ladies in particular who I couldn’t possibly write this blog with out mentioning. Ms Emmeline Pankhurst, British political activist and leader of the British suffragettes and Ms Emily Wilding Davison who fought for votes for women in the UK and paid the ultimate price for her beliefs and cause.
The national movement began back in 1872. Women started standing up and fighting for an equal right to vote for both genders, however, it wasn’t until 1918, 46 years later, that the act was finally granted and a portion of women were given the right to vote. Only a small selection of women over the age of 30 were able to participate in the elections however, this is still a massive turning point in history because in December 1918, women voted in their first general election! It took a further 10 years (1928) for all women to receive the vote on the same terms as men in the UK.
“Deeds, not words, was to be our permanent motto,” written by Emmeline Pankhurst in her memoirs.
In the above quotation, Emmeline Pankhurst was reflecting on the ways in which the suffragettes relentlessly campaigned for women to be granted the right to vote, knowing that their words fell on deaf ears, and that their actions would ultimately speak louder.
2018 is set to be another year of deeds, not words, as we all join together to mark the 100 year anniversary of the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918.