*This post is adapted from an Instagram post on @leadhershipconference from August 3rd.*
Now that August 18 has passed, you've probably seen many tributes to mark 100 years of the 19th amendment, or women's suffrage in the United States. And yes, this is quite a milestone in our nation's history. However, I strive to promote intersectionality with this organization, and especially considering our nation's history of white feminism, we cannot celebrate this month without addressing and acknowledging that only white, english-speaking women have held the right to vote in the United States for 100 years. So, I thought I'd make a brief timeline. 1947-48: Indigenous women can vote as legal barriers against Native Americans voting are removed. 1952: Asian women can vote as the McCarran-Walter Act grants Asians the right to citizenship. 1965: Disenfranchisement and discriminatory voting practices are banned and Black women are finally able to vote freely. 1975: Women who do not speak English are able to vote as voting materials are required to be printed in multiple languages. It's also important to recognize that just because something is law does not mean it is always put into direct practice everywhere. Racism is and always has been extremely prevalent in this country, and voter suppression goes hand in hand with it. Current policies surrounding absentee voting, photo ID laws, and the postal service are just another example of rampant voter suppression in the United States. So when you celebrate 100 years of women's suffrage in the United States, remember to acknowledge that not all women have held the right to vote for very long, and voter suppression is a lasting issue in this nation. I'll be registering as soon as I turn 18 in a few weeks, and I'll definitely be voting. Will you?
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Neha SaggiFounder and director of LeadHERship. Archives
March 2021
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