In 1928, women in Great Britain were finally granted the right to vote. Prior to this magnificent date, there was a powerful struggle between suffragists/suffragettes and Parliament in order to give women, as well as those unwealthy, non-property holding men, the right to vote. Yes, there were also men who couldn't vote. In the early 1900s, only 21-year-old males could vote if they were occupiers, owners of estate, lodgers of apartments, and if they graduated from various Universities. This added to not only the right for women to vote, but for adults over a certain age being able to vote (adult suffrage).
In 1882, women worked more heavily towards getting the right to vote thus being granted the rights to own the money they make, the land they inherit, and allowing them to buy, sell, and own property. In 1914, the suffrage movement was put aside due to the upcoming war, WWI. The end in 1918 pushed the movement back into place, women over 30 being granted voting rights.
Bringing us back to 1928, women get the vote, the same as men (21 and over). In 1928, after almost 100 years of fighting, women and men got the right to vote. And you're not voting.
In England, Emily Wilding Davison, suffragette, throws herself in front of the King's horse at a Derby in 1913, thought to be tying a "Votes For Women" ribbon around the horse's neck. Failing, getting trampled, and passing days later, she caused an uproar in the suffragist/suffragette movement. And you're not voting.
Men in political positions have been known to be defunding the right to birth control and are planning to ban abortions, slowly diminishing women's right to have a say in what happens to their bodies. There are bills waiting to be passed and changes dying to be made--against women, against men, against what is ours. And you're not voting.
The road to the presidency is stretching out before your eyes, flashing on every television screen in sight, scrolling down on Facebook, ignoring the cyber fights. Your ignorant self doesn't see women in jail for smashing windows, heckling, or hunger striking. Your ignorant self doesn't see hundreds of women being force-fed as a result of hunger strikes. Your ignorant self doesn't see the past struggle for something so accessible in the future. And you're not voting.
And now, you're voting--honoring the women that fought for you so you could have a say. So have one.
