Women's Equality Day
In the 21st century, following extensive campaigning and voicing strong opinions, the issue of disparity between both sexes have genuinely come to the fore. For instance, a recognizable pay gap that exists between men and women is discussed and debated ad infinitude, in a bid to settle the matter and restore a semblance of equality.
HISTORY
The 26th of August is assigned to an annual event held in America called Women’s Equality Day. Almost a century ago, the Nineteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution was formally adopted on the 26th of August 1920. It corroborated that no authority has the prerogative to deny citizens the right to cast their vote in national elections, based solely on their sex.
At the 50th anniversary of the monumental change, representatives of the female led organization National Organization for Women (NOW) orchestrated a resounding rallying cry that included countrywide demonstrations. More than a hundred thousand females were involved in hanging banners and conducting emphatic rallies across the country to shift the focus on gender equality.
The ability to exercise full suffrage became Women’s Equality Day in the modern era. It was first commemorated a year later and has been a yearly occurrence since. Also, almost half a century later, it still stands tall as the largest gender equality protest in the storied history of the United States.
SIGNIFICANCE
The strike did not inspire overnight change but it was a catalyst in the long run. It shifted the focus and altered public conversation. The feminist movement was born and there have been cogent attempts to achieve full equality for women.
For the best part of the last century, women have worked tirelessly to change sexist views and accomplish equality. Renowned examples like Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt have fought for civilian rights while women have attained tremendous success in a number of fields, like producing notable scientists with Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin being pertinent names.
In the decades that have passed since suffrage was first acquired by women, the feminist movement and Women’s Equality Day represent so much more than simply the right to determine the future of America. For instance, organizations like Equality Now and Womankind Worldwide are actively involved in the elimination of violence suffered by women.
PARALLELS
Women’s Equality Day is a celebration of the fact that women are a force to be reckoned with and will not play second fiddle to men. Adopting such a pragmatic perspective also brings other issues to the forefront. For wholesale change to truly transpire, quandaries like domestic violence and rape must also be targeted.
There is an underlying theme that united all forms of oppression that affect women around the world. Although it may take decades before a discernible difference is felt and such aggravating behavior is curtailed, Women’s Equality is proof that positive thinking can definitely make a change.
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