women against suffrage

introduction

1896 - 1910 = no new state granted the right to vote to women leading to a sense of dispair among women Progressive era : technical progress, social progress, rapid industrialization, swift urbanization ( = first skyscrapers, mass immigration and the rise of trade unions)Period oh hope : shift in womanhood The New Woman emerged contrasting with the traditionnal concept and defied societal norms ( wear trousers ) HOWEVER a counterforce emerged in the form of the anti-suffragist movement "Antis" were opposed to suffrage for variety of reasons deeply roted in societal norms, cultural beliefs and perceptions of gender roles

This opposition revealed a complex interplay between progress and resistance 19th century : women oppposed to women's suffrage believed in 4 cardinal values - piety - purity - submission - domesticity

Women's prilmary responsbilities were in the domestic sphere fulfilling mother and wife roles Involvement in politics quit their natural duties and threaten the family stability It would distract them from their role of caregiver Republican Motherhood During the Progressive Era , women had different arguments justifying their position regarding women's suffrage than in the 1850S thus we ask ourselves ...

Women opposed to suffrage : why and how ?

The enemy to suffrage was not men but restistance to change. When congress men Frank Klark of Florida proposed a national referendum for women in 1918 she objected that the idea was "unconstitutional and pointless" while she was very educated.

Carrie Chapman Catt

Susan B. Anthony opposed to suffrage in 1871 claiming that "women's condition of servitude made them unable to see the issue clearly".

The newspaper "the woman's protest" was renamed "The woman patriot" dedicated to the "Defense of Womanhood, Motherhood, the Family and the State against Suffragism, Feminism and Socialism

Why would educated women oppose to suffrage ?

- Wealthy, priviledged, with a high social status and political power (daughter of/ wife of) were doing well in the current system for their own priviledges feared wrong women capable of making decisions : women of color, socialist and prostitutes were hostile to the expansion of vote to people they saw ignorant such as immigrants and black people

Women = moral high ground Men = ploitical low ground

The debate brought in issues around moral beliefs The male sphere was dangerous The political activity would bring women more problems (= dirty deals, personnal attacks, bribery and corruption)

Few anti-suffragist women also feared that these "wrong" women would gain more power than them in the political, influential and moral place Scared of vicious women and hysteria

Beatrice Webb signed a campaign against suffrage in 1889 believed economic emancipation was more important against the corrupted system suffrage wasn't a pripority needed their own money to be free

"Progressive" anti-suffragists

After the event, in "The women's protest" Josephine Dodge noted that when the ship went down the first sentence wasn't "voters first" but "women first" the vote won't give them protection women not adapted to men's tasks unsexed women : idea that voting isn't a woman's place

titanic tragedy 1912

Number of women who wanted to have no responsability on the battlefield increased "Feminine privilege" : women also didn't want to be involved in war and in manly obligations They'd rather stay in the domestic sphere Acquiring the right to vote would mean abandonning their motherhood

war time

The usual anti-suffragist is a white upper class, privileged woman but that movement impacted women from everywhere and not one distinct group

What about the middle and working classes ?

They did not have economic freedom to spend time protesting Suffrage wasn't a big deal since their priority was to manage their house, children and to put food on the table Some believed in an equalitarian social reform but thought women would accomplish more through organizing than in political engagement

1918 = the organization moved to Washington D.C operated there until their disbandement following the passage of the 19th amendment ratified in 1920 It prohibits the U.S and its States from denying the right to vote to its citizens based on sex

National association opposed to women suffrage

Suffragists had national organizations since 1889 but anti-suffragists founded theirs in 1911 Named NAOWS based in New York City at first 1st president and founder = Josephine Dodge Believed women's suffrage would decrease women's work in communities and their ability to effect societal reforms Active on a state and federal level Most western (later on Southern) state associations were founded by wealthy white women linked to NAOWS members by social network

how did they operate ?

Spread their ideas and opinions on the current political issues through a newsletter NAOWS launched a new publication "The Woman's protest" reorganized as "The Woman's Patriot" in 1918 Anti-radical, patriotic, nationalist woman’s newspaper womanhood needed to be seperate from political power women were inferior to men After the Titanic disaster it was written “ The accident tends in its terribly grim way to point out the everlasting ‘difference’ of the sexes.” The first red scare - set up against socialism Pubished in the 20s opposing the work of feminists and liberal women group until 1932

Saw a danger in adding to the number of politically uninformed voters Believed that if women became involved in politics, they would lose some of their moral authority

Born in 1855 and died in 1928 American pioneer in the Day Nursery Movement 1878: sponsor to the Virginia Day Nursery = care for children of working women in East New York slums 1888: Founded Jewell Day Nursery = day care + educate immigrants children on American values 1898: president of the National Federation Day Nurseries Became increasingly active in opposition to women's suffrage Organized a meeting at her house and founded NAOWS Resigned her president's title of NYSAOWS President of NAOWS until 1917 and editor of their newsletter

Josephine dodge

Helen johnson kendrick

Born in New York in 1844 Well educated - her father was a university professor Married Rossiter Johnson - a newspaper editor and anti-suffragist activist Writer and editor of The American Woman's Journal (started with little to no knowledge of the movement) Believed suffragists arguments were "founded on demonstrable and radical errors" Her husband thought not giving women the right to vote would keep them pure Religious and conservative woman

However contradictory with her later work taking a political turn about the anti-suffrage movement 3. The nation's stability would be thrown off if women got the right to vote"A ballot put into the box by a woman would be simply a blank cartridge. " 4. Believed in spererate spheres If women worked and got equal pay it would impact all the workers negatively

What were her arguments ?

In her most famous book Women and the republic she argues against the suffrage movement with four arguments:1. Traditional gender roles are important because the difference between man and women are divine and iological 2. Women's education should be used for women to teach their own children ( = religious teachings and translating family songs)

Manhood suffrage and not women suffrage is the final evolution of democracy

Helen Johnson Kedrick

Criticizes the declaration of sentiments: Women who wrote it mocked the Founding Fathers "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women were created equal. " Her book received praise with on critic stating : " if the women's suffrage movement is ever to be fially defeated, it will be by women themselves, and by arguments and considerations like those so ably in this remarkable book. "

Founded the Guidon Club in 1912 meet and discussed political questions study information the suffragists proposed to use against antis Adressed a legislative committee and stated: - women should not get the right to vote - should not own property - should not be taxed - the political thoughts should left to the husband

conclusion

The suffrage movement prevailed with the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, marking a significant milestone in the struggle with sex equality. opposition from women serves as a reminder social change is a complex process with differing perspectives reflecting the diversity of beliefs and values in one society After the disfranchisement of women the push for gender equality gained momentum in the mid-20th century. Equal Rights Amendment : aim to guarantee equal legal rights for all citizens Passed by congress in 1972 but faced significant opposition Still from now, people want to go back to traditionnal gender roles ( = romanticizing of the traditional housewife)

thank you for your attention !