The Significance of Suffrage in the UK

Oct.15, 2019 The Significance of Suffrage in the UK “They persevered in spite of all danger and discouragement because they knew their cause was right. The truth of their arguments won the day, and we are all in their debt.” Theresa May’s quote rings true for many, and clearly shows how the world needs to recognize the brave suffragette women. The story of heroic suffragette women in the WSPU (the Women’s Social and Political Union) and their war for equal voting rights in the United Kingdom, is a significant event in the late 19th and early 20th century. The movement led to countless progressive ideas as time went on, and has brought us to where society is now. Although the Suffragette Movement in the United Kingdom was violent and involved extreme lengths of protest, it brought forth the idea of equality for men and women, while showing future generations the meaning of standing up for human rights. Although forced into secrecy, the Woman’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), led to the success of the suffragette movement. The WSPU was a militant wing of the British suffragette movement and was founded in Manchester in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst. For many years, this organization wasn’t known for the suffragette movement. This is because it wouldn’t have been allowed to form the union if the government knew their intentions. The WSPU sought after women’s voting rights, in a country that had denied women suffrage countless times. Women from the United Kingdom were allowed to vote in local elections, and act on school boards since the 1880s, but were excluded from full equality in politics. The WSPU was impatient with the liberal and conservative parties, for whom the suffrage issue was continually debated but left unresolved. This organization brought women who were willing to fight for their beliefs together, and without it, the suffragette movement could’ve taken a lot longer or failed in reaching it's goals. The violence of the suffragette protests showed the public in Britain the severity of what they were fighting for. In 1908, WSPU members began a campaign of property destruction as a protest, designed for major publicity, and mostly aimed at the existing power structure. Their destruction included pouring acid in mailboxes, breaking windows, defacing artwork, and tearing up golf courses. One suffragette, Emily Davison, jumped in front of King George’s horse at the Epsom derby in 1913. She died from her injuries, paying with her life to make this statement. This was the most extreme, and famous, protest that happened in the UK suffragette movement. More than 1000 suffragettes were imprisoned because of these violent protests between 1908 and 1914, and even after being arrested they protested. While in prison they drew additional public attention by staging hunger strikes, a tactic that prison officials countered with horrific force-feeding. All these acts of violence show how desperate women were to get what they knew they deserved. They swore that deeds, not words, would convince the government to give women the right to vote. Due to this level of desperation, the WSPU and suffragette women were more than willing to break the law for their cause. They held a ‘whatever it takes’ standard, countering the fact that the government had not listened to them at all in the past. They believed that it was time to change that. After 15 years of this fight, the British suffragette women got their victory. In 1918 the people act was passed, this gave women over the age of 30 who owned property, the right to vote in all UK elections. The legacy of the suffragette movement has carried on to bring more progression and equality throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, primarily in the workplace and politics. In 2018, the UK marked the 100th anniversary of British women gaining the right to vote. This day of remembrance is both a cause for celebration, and reflection on the similarities between international women’s movements of the past and the present. Although so many progressions have been made, when you look at the world today many women are still fighting for their rights. Since the passing of the first people act, which ultimately gave women the right to vote in Britain, women have gained many more rights. They earned political rights such as having women in office, equal pay bills that brought more women into the workplace, and education rights as women started pursuing post-secondary degrees. That is something to commend but we must also then look at what we are still struggling with. In 2018 the worldwide MeToo Movement gained a lot of popularity. This movement is known for standing up for women who’ve suffered sexual violence, showing them they aren’t alone, and helping them heal. Another movement is the Pro-Choice Movement. This is a fight for women’s sexual health and abortion rights around the world. The suffragette movement laid the foundation for both of these current movements because it was the first of it’s kind. They protest for their cause but in a much calmer, peaceful way. Millions of people who support the Pro-Choice Movement have taken to the streets, chanting phrases such as “her body her choice!”, and “abortion is healthcare”. With the MeToo movement, the protest is on Social media. Influencers with a large audience, have shared their stories of sexual violence on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. This is meant to help other people feel less alone with their struggles with sexual violence. The ProChoice Movement has since been successful in stopping many laws from being passed in the United States, laws that are trying to criminalize abortion, a human right. Because the suffragettes conducted one of the first women-led protests, it is a perfect example of how people can get what they deserve if they fight for it, and how people can still learn from the suffragettes today. Despite the fact it used harsh methods of protest to get its victory, the suffragette movement in the United Kingdom offered a start for modern equality. In succeeding in it is goal, it showed future generations why it is so important to stand up for human rights. The success and process of the suffragette movement are significant because, without its outcome, society would not have nearly as much growth and breakthrough with human rights. The movement holds the story of brave women, and the birth of equality in Britain, which changed society for the better. It is important to recognize the women, some who even gave their lives, for women’s suffrage in the UK. These women put their image and lives on the line to get what they knew they deserved. Getting arrested, being in prison, and even force-fed when trying to protest in prison, threatened the respect they got from others, along with their safety. The story of suffrage is momentous in history, but the story of the suffragettes, the members of the Women’s Social and Political Union, and their supporters, is the story that needs to be told. If it were not for the suffragette’s courageous endeavours it would be a very different world for women today.