COVER STORY
THE RISE OF THE
Woman One hundred years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women are using their voices to continue the fight for equality. STORY AND DESIGN BY EMMA HUTCHIN PHOTO EDITOR AND AVERY BRUNDIGE FEATURES EDITOR
O
n August 18, 1920 women were given a voice for the first time in United States history. The 19th amendment was ratified under the Constitution after years of petition. The first convention for women’s rights gathered in 1848 at Seneca Falls, where the Declaration of Sentiments, Grievances, and Resolutions was drafted, laying out the foundation for the women’s suffrage movement, according to History.com. By the start of the 20th century, women’s roles in society were evolving. Their status within the home shifted, some began working, educational opportunities arose and more radical suffrage movements took place, including marches and protests. “If we want to achieve the basic values some strive for, like equality among salaries, we aren’t too far,” senior Sophia Angrisano said. “But if we want to achieve a greater idea of women in which they are valued as important historical figures, powerful, and held to the same standards as men, we still have a lot to work for. And those things don’t come overnight.” Jumping ahead to 1963, The Equal Pay Act was passed by Congress, securing wage equality no matter race or sex, according to U.S News. Then in 1972, Title IX was passed, prohibiting sex based discrimination in educational programs. In 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first Speaker of the House. In 2013, the ban against women in military combat positions was lifted, according to U.S News. Now, in recent years women are still taking a stand. In 2017, a radical movement began after countless actresses and celebrities came forward declaring ‘#MeToo’ after director Harvey Weinstein was accused of rape and assault, according to the New York Times. Women have found their voice. Now, they are using that voice to continuously fight for global rights for women and equal liberty for all. Story continued on Page 16
14 LE JOURNAL
