Independence for Women
by Gabriel DuBransky
A large part of the American women’s suffrage movement concerned the development and conservation of women’s liberty and independence. For most (or all) of history, women have been expected to rely on a man for their ability to thrive and succeed in life. Thus, independence became a necessity in the fight for women’s rights.
The first large-scale attempt to create a place to discuss women’s rights was at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. This convention was led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, two of about 300 people, mostly women, who attended the discussion of current issues for women. They developed a “Declaration of Sentiments” modeled after the Declaration of Independence that outlined the goals of women’s suffrage. However, the majority of activism seen by men at that time and many history textbooks was focused on White women and for White women. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was a Black woman who worked with these White suffragists and called them out on their racism. Born to a free Black family in the 1820s, she was a poet and orator, one of the earliest examples of Black women gaining prominence in activism. Though finding respect was hard within the intersections of race, gender, and class, Harper was a hallmark of independence for women of color at a time when no lawmaker was even considering their lives.
In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, making it illegal to deny someone their right to vote based on sex. This was a huge win for the feminist movement, but there were still many fights to be fought. People of color still could not vote, and the acceptance of queer and trans women in society was very far behind. Lesbians were a large part of the development of second wave feminism, and paved the way for sexual liberation of women. In the 60s, the leader of the National Organization of Women called lesbians the “Lavender Menace”; a term used to convince straight feminists that lesbians harmed the feminist movement. Lesbians reclaimed the “Lavender Menace”, asserting that queerness had an important role in feminism and liberation.
In 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act allowed women to open bank accounts without the signature of a husband. Just within the last 50 years, feminism has evolved in many ways. The idea that women could not legally control their own money as recently as the 70s may be surprising, but female liberation is far from achieved. The third and fourth waves of feminism, focusing on female empowerment and the use of modern technology, have both happened within the last 30 years, and the involvement of other oppressed groups like disabled and trans women are finally being given spaces to speak. Though there is still work to do, women’s independence has come a long way.
Sources
https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/
https://www.history.com/news/black-suffragists-19th-amendment
https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/lesbians-20th-century/lesbian-feminism