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‘Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.’

The suffragette movement protesting against Woodrow Wilson in front of The White House, 1917

 

As the time for our right to vote as Americans approaches, we thought we’d share the stories of some extraordinary and courageous women in U.S. history… who exercised their right as citizens of this country, defied authority in order to make their voices heard — and defended the 1st Amendment of our Constitution regardless of the consequences.

 

 

Women were not given the right to vote until 1920. But in 1917, 33 women were jailed for protesting in front of the White House. They were beaten, abused, and  tortured because of their decision to defy the government and stand for their beliefs that women were equal to men and had the same right to place a mark on the ballot! Their resilience and bravery during their time in prison gives testament to women’s ability to overcome any and all obstacles that stand in their way.

The infamous “Night of Terror” on November 15, 1917, claimed many victims from the suffragette movement to the unspeakable horrors at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia.

Progressively Sexist – Today’s Discriminatory Advertising

Joan and Peggy in a world of Mad Med

Recently it seems like everyone’s stuck trying to define his or her own human rights in today’s society. Religious freedom is strongly misconstrued by fanatics and radicals; human rights are being exploited in all parts of the world, and human rights for any sexual orientation are being ignored, not just in other countries, but also in America, “the land of the free”.

Leaving local politics aside, after years of oppression and progress, women’s rights have once again taken a back seat to entertainment and profit. In the time where retro and pop art have become so popular that 1950s paraphernalia is considered “hip”, we have come to the point where a sense of style is more important than the underlying struggle that comes with it.

Joan and Peggy in Mad Men