by Wayne Leon Learmond

Created on: April 14, 2010   Last Updated: April 15, 2010

If one wants to answer this question then one has to look back to the past and the fight for Women's Rights - especially during the 18-1900s. It was precisely because of women, fighting for their right to even win the vote, that women today are in the positions that they are.  But are women better off than they where in the past? This article will look back to the past, at the foundations of Womens Rights. The article will also look at the present, and where women  stand now, in the 21st Century.

In 1897, when Millicent Fawcett {1847-1929} founded the Movement for Womens Suffrage, that movement was formed on the basis of, not just Women's Rights {ie: the right to vote} but on basic human rights too. If one looks back to that time, when women really had no right at all, and no say in their lives  - even though they had to pay the same taxes as men, then one can see the hardship that they suffered. 

Although Millicent Fawcett meant well, and wanted no violence in the fight for change in Women's Rights {for fear that men would simply say that the women could not be trusted} it was felt that change itself was far too slow in coming. Fawcett stressed on patience, and peaceful demonstrations, Yet it was felt that something more was needed to shock men into finally giving women they craved for...the 'vote'.

In 1903 Emeline Pankhurst {1858-1928} was just the type of woman who would do it.  Pankhurst,who along with her daughters, Sylvia and Christabel, became leading campaigners for the right for women to vote. To wait would have meant disaster.  They formed the Womens Social and Political Union, and this 'union' became known as The Suffragettes.

The Suffragettes, burned down churches,smashed windows, and caused as much trouble as they could - even getting themselves arrested and sent to prison. Whilst in prison many of them went on hunger strike {which was something that the government at that time,just did not want.}  Indeed, the government where very fearful that should any of the Suffragettes die in prison, through hunger strikes, then they would be looked upon as martyrs for their 'cause'. The government subsequently gave the orders for the prison guards to force feed the women, whether they liked it or not.

This did not stop the women though, as many of them continued on the course of violent uprisings, chaining themselves to railings, causing as much mayhem as they could at political gatherings, smashing windows, and firebombing

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