Women March on Washington
First, I am so excited about this National Protest on the War Against Women stuff that has been going around. These issues are sooooo important - both the specific fight over women's access to safe contraception and the more general issue of political rights and voice. I am so glad women across America are not just letting this slide and I'm sad that I won't be in Washington in April, able to offer up my floor for people to crash on and participating in the protest. I hope that as many of you who want to are able to find some way to participate in this movement.
Second, the historian in me can't help but point out that less than 90 years ago, in 1913, women's suffrage activist Alice Paul organized the first women's march on Washington, with the goal of pushing congress to extend voting rights to women. While the march united women activists and brought attention to the cause of suffrage, women and allies in America would have to fight for seven more years before finally receiving full citizenship rights. This fact is usually presented in the following language: "in 1920, women in America received the right to vote." That 'received' glosses over so many sins. Suffragists fought long and hard, many of them making extreme sacrifices along the way, and they were opposed at every step by people in power and by entrenched anti-feminist conservatism.
One of my favorite films in the whole world, Iron Jawed Angels, tells part of this story, following female activists as they plan a march on Washington and work to get the vote from 1912 - 1920. If you've been thinking about this stuff, I cannot recommend highly enough that you go out and get your hands on a copy of this film. For a made-for-tv-movie it has a deep bench - Hilary Swank, Vera Farmiga, Francis O'Conner, Anjelica Huston, Julia Ormond - and strong production values. Watch it tonight? And then come back here and chat with me about whether we've really come all that far since 1913 and about what it might take for women in America to keep this fight going.
ETA: Although it isn't really a period piece, as such, this film covers the exact same time span as Downton Abbey has so far. Now I'm imagining crossovers...
Also on Dreamwidth
Second, the historian in me can't help but point out that less than 90 years ago, in 1913, women's suffrage activist Alice Paul organized the first women's march on Washington, with the goal of pushing congress to extend voting rights to women. While the march united women activists and brought attention to the cause of suffrage, women and allies in America would have to fight for seven more years before finally receiving full citizenship rights. This fact is usually presented in the following language: "in 1920, women in America received the right to vote." That 'received' glosses over so many sins. Suffragists fought long and hard, many of them making extreme sacrifices along the way, and they were opposed at every step by people in power and by entrenched anti-feminist conservatism.
One of my favorite films in the whole world, Iron Jawed Angels, tells part of this story, following female activists as they plan a march on Washington and work to get the vote from 1912 - 1920. If you've been thinking about this stuff, I cannot recommend highly enough that you go out and get your hands on a copy of this film. For a made-for-tv-movie it has a deep bench - Hilary Swank, Vera Farmiga, Francis O'Conner, Anjelica Huston, Julia Ormond - and strong production values. Watch it tonight? And then come back here and chat with me about whether we've really come all that far since 1913 and about what it might take for women in America to keep this fight going.
Click to viewETA: Although it isn't really a period piece, as such, this film covers the exact same time span as Downton Abbey has so far. Now I'm imagining crossovers...
Also on Dreamwidth