Women Equality In The 20th Century

History has changed over the course of time for women. For centuries women were perceived to be second class citizens and submissive. As time progressed women began to challenge the notion and slowly organized to achieve equality between men and women. The struggle for women’s equality during the 19th century started out terrible, but continues to improve over time. In order to understand the events that took place during the 20th century in the struggle for equality, we have to understand past events that shape the same dynamics. In the course of both centuries, includes changes in how women were represented economically, politically, and socially. Only after decades of intense political activity did women eventually win the right to vote

In fact, the 19th century was an age where women were characterized by gender inequalities. Women were excluded from taking part in public life, especially in areas pertaining to politics and professional occupations. Therefore, middle and upper class women often stayed home, caring for their children and running the household; women were expected to remain subservient to their fathers and husband. In Gretchen Ritter’s “The Constitution as Social Design,” she writes “before the 20th century women’s place in the political community was conceived of relationally. As wives, daughters, servants, and slaves, they were represented in public affairs through their husband, fathers, and masters. They had no independent civic status” (Ritter, 2-3). However, by the 1830’s and 40’s the social and political climate began to change when women activist questioned the subservience to men; and formed rallies to challenge the norm. These groups of women worked to gain equal rights, higher education, and most importantly, voting rights. As a result, the roles of women began to dissipate, in search for