Women's Rights

By: Student Z

Women’s Rights

Women’s Rights are important to me because it’s not right for one gender to be superior over the other.

It’s been a long struggle for women in the United States to gain the same rights as men.

There’s still discrimination.

Men are still making more money than women even though women may work more hours.

Women and men are both equal. Every human being is equal. No gender or race should determine who is superior.

Women’s Rights: The Seneca Falls Convention

In July of 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott held the very first Women’s Rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. 68 women and 32 men had signed a Declaration of Sentiments. Women have been discriminated in economic, religious, social, and political life. Woman demanded all the rights that men have and that includes the right to vote.

National Woman’s Rights Convention; 1850

The very first meeting was in Worcester, Massachusetts with over 1,000 men and women. Speeches were given on equal wages, education, career opportunities, marriage, and property rights.

US Constitution; Nineteenth Amendment

AMENDMENT XVPassed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude

Section 2.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

source: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html

Reed VS. Reed 1971

A married couple who had separated, Sally and Cecil Reed, had a conflict about which of them was going to be the administrator of the estate of their deceased son.

For the first time ever, The United States Supreme Court rules a law that discriminates woman is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Supreme Court ruled that the administrators of estates cannot be named in a way that discriminates between sexes.

Roe VS. Wade; 1973

This court case struck down a Texas law restricting abortion. It was a felony for a woman to get an abortion in Texas.

The 14th Amendment extended a woman's decision to have an abortion, but that right must be balanced against protecting prenatal life and protecting women's health.

This started the national debate over abortion.

Defense Department Expands Women's Combat Role

In January 2013, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the ban on women serving in combat roles will be gone.

A letter to Panetta was received from Martin Dempsey saying, "The time has come to rescind the direct combat exclusion rule for women and to eliminate all unnecessary gender-based barriers to service."

Some positions will be available to women right away but the military has until 2016 to request exceptions to the new rule. This reverses the 1994 rule that prohibited women from serving in combat.

Source: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=119098

International Women's Day

(also called International Working Women's Day)

On March 8th of every year, Women's Day celebrates women's economic, political, and social achievements.

Women’s day also gives respect, appreciation and love towards women.

Women's day started as a Socialist political event primarily in Europe. Russia was included as well. It has lost political flavor in some regions and is simply a day for men to show their love and affection towards women.

Opposing Viewpoints;

Some men thought they are superior to women and that women were “too good and pure” to vote.

Others believed “women never produced anything in the world.”

To this day, there are still a few men who show violence and discrimination towards women.

Impact of Women's Rights

Women weren’t able to do much before Women’s Rights which includes voting, working, education, etc.

In today’s society, Women aren't nearly discriminated as they used to be. Women are able to vote and help contribute to our country. Women can work in jobs that used to be for men only and are able to provide for themselves without needing a husband. Women have the choice of doing what they want with their lives. They can be a housewife or a career woman. Women have the right to an abortion. Woman have simply came a long way since the 1800s.

Even though the impact of Women’s Rights are so great, women are still not being paid the same amount as men. Woman make 77 cents compared to every dollar a man makes.