100 years of votes for women
It’s hard to imagine that there was ever a time when women couldn’t vote in the UK, and even harder to believe that it changed only 100 years ago.
As a woman, I am hugely grateful to the suffragette movement for fighting and campaigning to allow women in the UK to partake in the democratic process. I feel proud to go to the polling station when an election rolls around and can’t even begin to imagine not being able to have my say at those times.
I hope they realised that future generations of women—me, my friends, co-workers, mother, sister and perhaps one day, daughters—would appreciate their commitment and dedication to a fight that is so easy to take for granted now. Those radical women gave up so much—in some cases, their lives—to ensure that women of the future could exercise the right to vote, and it is important that we recognise, remember and celebrate that.
Of course, equal voting rights is far from the whole story. 100 years on, we’ve still got a way to go to achieve equality between men and women, both in the workplace and society as a whole. In many industries, women are still paid less than men for the same work. Within the digital democracy arena, we have things like the #womenintech movement to try to improve the opportunities and representation of women in tech roles. Whether it’s in the world of technology, politics or Hollywood, we still see examples of women being treated as inferior. So our participation in democracy remains vital—at the polling station and beyond.
Louise Cato, Delivery Director at Delib
Were it not for these people, society would not be where it is today. They personally sacrificed an awful lot to create significant public progress; they spoke up and broke rules and took action when others would not, and our democracy is so much better for it.
But it’s also true that 100 years is not that long, and I think that’s reflected in the gulf of inequality which still exists. To be a woman, even in 2018, is often to not be treated as an equal.
And I want to recognise that we’re talking about women today, but women are not the only marginalised people in society. There are layers and layers of inequality, and in some ways in 2018 this feels more obvious than ever. There’s a lot of work to be done to redress many imbalances, and I hope to have even half the courage that those people had 100 years ago to do my part today.
Natalie Williams, Account Manager at Delib
I’m conscious that it’s a great privilege to grow up and live in a country where women having the right to head to the ballot box doesn’t even feel like a privilege—it feels normal and right, and unimaginable for it to be any other way.
And yet it hasn’t always been that way, and it is a right still denied to women in some other countries today. I was fortunate to go to a school where we studied both the UK women’s suffrage movement and the American civil rights movement in history lessons. Though I didn’t realise it at the time, that education was so valuable—it helped me better understand and appreciate these hard-won rights that many of us take for granted, and sometimes don’t even utilise when we’re given the opportunity.
I often feel frustrated or downhearted about the many smaller—but no less valid—inequalities still faced by women in the UK. Only today I saw a news article about female contestants from Love Island being paid less than their male co-stars for appearances, purely because of their gender.
But looking at things more optimistically, 100 years is a fairly short timespan in the sweep of history. It’s incredibly encouraging how much has changed for women since 1918. I’m optimistic that in the next 100 years we’ll make even more progress towards ensuring everyone across society is treated with the same respect, dignity and worth.
Samuel Mason, Accessories Pattern Cutter at AV Studios London
Working in an environment surrounded by talented and creative women—where I feel both supported and challenged—is a true joy. The idea that these inspiring individuals haven’t always been afforded the same enfranchisement as me is baffling. We work best when we all share and decide the next step together.
Ben Whitnall, Communications Director at Delib
100 years seems like a bizarrely short time ago to think that half of the country’s adult population simply weren’t allowed to vote.
There’s some encouragement in the fact that, for many people, a world of such overt inequality now seems unimaginable. But it’s also a reminder never to get complacent. It’s hardly as if the extension of the vote to (some) women suddenly “solved” the question of a just and inclusive society.
There are still many ways in which the democratic process and government aren’t equally accessible to everyone—and that still needs people to strive, fight, and call for change.
Jade O’Donoghue, Senior Content Manager at Retail Week
When I was growing up, I never questioned whether I’d be able to vote—it was obvious. But then, a lot of things are “obvious,” aren’t they?
Like that parliament should be representative of the people it serves—except it isn’t, with male MPs still outnumbering female MPs 2 to 1. Or that women should be paid the same as men for the same roles—except they aren’t, with men still earning significantly more across the UK.
We still have a long way to go, and the issue is far more complex than I could summarise here. But one thing we can learn from the suffragette movement is this: it takes a village.
It wasn’t just the Emmeline Pankhursts and Emily Davisons. It was men who supported the cause, and countless other campaigners who had been working towards change for years. Everyone needs to get behind equality—because that’s when real change happens.
Ludwig Kayser, Consultant at Delib
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was a landmark moment, but it only enfranchised women over 30 who met property qualifications. It also abolished property requirements for men. It took another ten years, until 1928, for universal suffrage to be established.
There are two key lessons here:
- Building a fairer world is a long march, and even major victories are only steps along the way.
- Both by definition and in practice, we are all in it together.
Here’s to the next ten years.
Megan Tonner, Senior Consultant at Delib
Women’s suffrage in the UK acted as a catalyst for the rights we have today. It’s easy to forget the extraordinary women who made that happen.
We should use this moment not just to celebrate, but as inspiration—to keep pushing forward for female empowerment.
Xavier Snowman, Academic Outreach & Project Development at Adam Matthew
While it was a major milestone, there’s still a long way to go globally in tackling voter suppression.
As a Brit living in the US, it’s clear there are still barriers that prevent people from voting fairly. Registration and identification processes can be complicated, and early voting is often restricted.
I’m proud to come from a country where women and men can vote as equals—but there are still many issues to address before we can claim true equality.
Katherine Rooney, Account Manager at Delib
The 100-year anniversary of women getting the vote is both a celebration of progress and a reminder of how long it has taken—and how much further we still have to go.
May the fight for equality continue.
It’s intriguing, exciting, and perhaps a little daunting to think about what the next 100 years will bring for equality, democracy and participation.
Personally, I feel hopeful—hopeful that people will continue to remember and be inspired by the suffragette movement, and that we’ll keep taking small, meaningful steps towards making democracy more accessible, inclusive and fair.