Often, the beginnings of the American women’s suffrage movement may be traced back to a July 1848 public protest assembly in Seneca Falls, New York. The right of women to participate equally with men in the benefits and responsibilities of active, engaged citizenship was the only demand at that historic gathering that caused controversy among the one hundred women and men present. As the meeting’s chief organizer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, recalled, many in the crowd feared that the claim for fairness and justice was either too sophisticated or morally dubious about being included in the platform of the new organization (DuBois). Yet, the ability to vote was among the main causes that led to the formation of women’s movements.
Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that as of 1860, the ability to vote was not the fundamental priority of the women’s rights movements. They concentrated considerably more on the socioeconomic rights of females – particularly spouses – to work, inherit, and own property (DuBois). In addition, the traditional interpretation of the Constitution was that it was the responsibility of the states to select how to organize the election. Given this, women’s suffrage was believed to have to be battled for and gained state by state, which made the struggle complicated and to focus on the most important things – such as economic rights.
During the 1920s, women’s labor force participation increased, and there was an increasing desire to work. In addition, the notion of ‘pink collar’ employment was established during this time period (Bremner 9). The majority of people believed that women had to work in traditionally feminine occupations despite the fact that society accepted them in normal vocations. These jobs included those of secretaries and telephone operators. In addition, they were grossly underpaid for the volume of labor they performed, yet equal pay rules were not yet in force.
Another major concern within the provided scope is the battle against the physical and sexual oppression of women. When nickelodeon shorts evolved into feature movies and the first age of the cinema siren was formed, the appeal of feminine bodies took on an eerie, flickering quality. Combining the force of emancipation with the sensual potential of the film resulted in the creation of the vampire (or ‘vamp’) in the late 1910s (Bowery Boys). Such an image became a symbol of female sexual liberation, and actresses such as Theda Bara and Clara Bow exemplified this concept in an iconic manner. The latter became the prominent flapper stereotype of the 1920s, while Bara’s scandalous and exotic antics laid the scene a decade earlier.
Given the explored theme of women’s movements from the end of Reconstruction to the 1920s, the four causes females took up were investigated above. These are the restrictions for them in voting, economic rights, workload inequity, and oppression of their sexuality. It seems reasonable to state that the movements in the dimension of women’s voting eligibility, economic rights – such as the American Woman Suffrage Association – and freedom of expression. This was visible from events like the passing of the 14th Amendment and the popularity of the ‘vamps.’ However, within the scope of workload equity, they were less successful, which is justified by the fact that the ‘pink collar’ issue has been present long since that time.
It might be assumed that among the mentioned causes, the one related to the economic right was the most crucial. The reality dictates people deal with their routine issues first, and it seems that the ability to work, inherit, and own property is more important than freedom of sexuality, workload equity, or even voting. The fight for economic rights was the founding reason for the establishment of such movements in general.
Works Cited
Bowery Boys. “Before the Flapper, the Naughty ‘Vamp’ Scandalized New York.” The Bowery Boys, Web.
Bremner, Judith. (1992) “Black Pink Collar Workers: Arduous Journey from Field and Kitchen to Office.” The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, vol. 19, no. 3, 1992, pp. 7–27.
DuBois, Ellen. “Reconstruction and the Battle for Woman Suffrage.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Web.