| My grandmother was a suffragette. And today is her | | | | Representatives, and chief justice. |
| birthday. | | | | In sharp contrast to New Zealand, the United States |
| She'd be 115 today. | | | | has only recently elected a woman Speaker of the |
| Her name was Amelia Loving. | | | | House, Nancy Pelosi, who oddly, from my point of |
| I honor her memory this election season by raising | | | | view, does not support Hillary Clinton for President. |
| my own consciousness regarding sexism in our | | | | As Hillary Clinton moves to secure the popular vote, |
| society, especially rearing up now in the Clinton | | | | with the help of her loyal supporters, including myself, |
| Obama battle for the Presidency. | | | | we all have had to look at the ugly reality of hatred |
| The term women's suffrage refers to the economic | | | | towards women in our American Society. |
| and political reform movement aimed at extending | | | | A You Tube Video, depicting Hillary as a witch, a |
| suffrage ? the right to vote ? to women. The | | | | *itch, showing the likes of Keith Olbermann and Chris |
| movement's origins are usually traced to the United | | | | Matthews spewing hateful, sexist slurs that honestly |
| States in the 1820s. | | | | hurt all women, and these examples were |
| Women received the right to vote a full 100 years | | | | representative of many months of such bashing: Sent |
| after the Black Man, in 1920. The answer to which | | | | me directly to my local NBC affiliate to protest media |
| country was the first to give women the right to | | | | bias, and to say that I was boycotting the station. |
| vote in national elections is usually credited to New | | | | I held a sign that said on one side: Stop Media Bias!! |
| Zealand. | | | | On the other side of the sign: Media Bias Suppresses |
| Today women's suffrage is considered a right (under | | | | Votes!! |
| the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of | | | | Also, my companion wore a white plastic bag that |
| Discrimination Against Women), although a few | | | | said: Count Every Vote!! |
| countries, mainly in the Middle East, continue to deny | | | | Several days later, the folks in Florida sued the DNC |
| voting rights to women. | | | | (Democratic National Committee) for not settling this |
| Women in New Zealand were inspired to fight for | | | | problem of vote suppression long before this. |
| their voting rights by the equal-rights philosopher John | | | | It took a few days to organize the protest, and one |
| Stuart Mill and the activism of British feminists. In | | | | other lovely woman was there, as well. Several |
| addition, the missionary efforts of the | | | | newscasters came out and got a statement, but I |
| American-based Women's Christian Temperance | | | | don't know if it was aired or not, since I no longer |
| Union gave them the motivation to fight. There | | | | watch the station! |
| were, in fact, a few male politicians that supported | | | | It was raining, and it was a cold rain. |
| women's rights, such as John Hall, Robert Stout, Julius | | | | People passing in their cars beeped their horns in |
| Vogel and William Fox. In 1878, 1879, and 1887 | | | | sympathy to the cause. One elderly gentleman |
| amendments extending the vote to women failed by | | | | bought us a cup of coffee and cookies. He said, |
| a hair each time. | | | | "Thank you for what you are doing!!" |
| In 1893, New Zealand became the first major | | | | Hillary has stood up for Women's rights for 40 years, |
| self-governing country in the world to give women | | | | long before she ever met her husband, our former |
| the vote. | | | | President, Bill Clinton. And now, she has opened a |
| Although the Liberal government which passed the bill | | | | dialogue whereby a National Gender Re-education is |
| generally advocated social and political reform, the | | | | taking place. |
| electoral bill was only passed because of a | | | | And she is not going to give up. Her supporters |
| combination of personality issues and political accident. | | | | continue to give her money. We continue to protest |
| The bill granted the vote to women of all races. New | | | | Locally and Nationally for equal representation for |
| Zealand women were not given the right to stand | | | | every man, woman and child. |
| for parliament, however, until 1918. | | | | We will carry her all the way to the convention, just |
| In 2005, almost a third of the Members of Parliament | | | | as a person is carried after she wins a major |
| elected were female. Women recently are also in | | | | seemingly insurmountable challenge. |
| prestigious positions such as prime minister, | | | | My grandmother nods approvingly. |
| Governor-General and the Speaker of the House of | | | | But this fight does not end here. |