We've Come a Long Way, Baby

By Stephanie Agresta

Women candidates took center stage in this year's presidential election. There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin made their mark and have become integral players in American politics. It's hard to imagine a time when women weren't part of the political system at all - a time when women weren't allowed to vote, but CNN recently profiled Ann Nixon Cooper, a 106 year old woman in Atlanta who remembers those days. With less than two weeks to go until Election Day 2008, we could all stand to benefit from reflecting back on that time and the exciting history of women's voting rights.

In 1848, suffragettes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott rallied at the Seneca Falls Convention in New York. This marked the beginning of what would be a 72 year struggle in a fight for political equality. Other significant women like Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Dora Lewis dedicated their lives towards this cause and demonstrated the true meaning of perseverance and bravery. In many cases, they risked their safety at the expense of making their voices heard. In 1917, the suffrage group Silent Sentinals, headed by Paul, picketed the White House for 18 months. During that time, 33 women were taken to a local jail, beaten and tortured for weeks, and then accused of being mentally insane. That same year in 1917, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to ever serve in Congress.

The efforts of these women culminated on August 18, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was passed. It officially stated the following: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

While the passing of the 19th Amendment was most definitely a victory for women, the struggle for political equality was far from over. Today, women are still underrepresented in the political sphere - only 16 out of 100 Senators are women and since 1917, only 229 have been elected to the House of Representatives. We have yet to see a woman take the office of President of the United States, although the 2008 campaign showed the world that this goal is clearly within reach.

This election season we're not voting for a female President, but we still have a huge opportunity to make history. We can represent ourselves in record numbers at the polls and exercise a right that a generation of women fought so hard to give us. We should encourage our friends to vote, remind them of why it's important, and also remember that there are still women in the world who may never get to do what we're doing. In countries like Brunei, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Vatican City, women's suffrage is still nonexistent.

To find out how you can vote and be part of this historic election season, visit our Voting FAQ page on WEVote08.com. Check your calendar for Tuesday, November 4th and make sure you know exactly where and when you will be voting! Here at WE Vote '08, we celebrate the courageous women who went before us, and the determined women who are responsible for shaping our political culture today - including YOU!