August 2008

I am woman, watch me vote.

It was August 26, 1920, and an amendment to the Constitution was about to become the law of the land. After years of struggling and being treated like chattel and second-class citizens, “they” granted us the right to vote. Who were they? How did we get to the point of ratification?

The opposition was a well-organized and well-funded anti-suffrage movement, which argued that most women really didn’t want the vote and they were probably not qualified to exercise it anyway. Against this negative wave of misogyny, women used humor and sheer grit as tactics. In 1915, writer Alice Duer Miller wrote:

“Why We Don’t Want Men to Vote — Because man’s place is in the army, because no really manly man wants to settle any question otherwise than by fighting about it. Because if men should adopt peaceable methods women will no longer look up to them. Because men will lose their charm if they step out of their natural sphere and interest themselves in other matters than feats of arms, uniforms, and drums. Because men are too emotional to vote. Their conduct at baseball games and political conventions shows this, while their innate tendency to appeal to force renders them unfit for government. “

And so, on August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law and women could vote in that fall’s elections. The House of Representatives, in a 304 to 90 vote, passed a proposed Amendment to the Constitution, which stated simply: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any States on account of sex. The Congress shall have the power by appropriate legislation to enforce the provisions of this article.”

Why is it we have to keep fighting for our rights? Are we living in the 21st Century or what? What confuses me the most are the statistics from the last general election. Approximately 121 million citizens voted in 2004 – 65 percent women and 62 percent men. Out of the 216 million citizens of voting age, 74 per cent are women and 71 per cent are men. Believe it or not, 22 million female registered voters chose not to vote in 2004. Why? Are you one?

I believe one of the priorities of NOW and all related women-run organizations is to begin a campaign to educate women voters on how important it is to vote! Since we were granted the right to vote in 1920, women have excelled in education, business and spirit. Yet currently we have only about 16% women serving in House and the Senate. We need a balanced government with gender parity. We need to encourage, mentor and get out the vote for all women who choose to represent us.

“A Platform on Women’s Rights — Since the beginning of what we call civilization, when men’s dominance over women was firmly established until the present day, our history has been marred with oppression of and brutality to women. We deplore this system of male domination, known as patriarchy, in all its forms, both subtle and overt - from oppression, inequality, and discrimination to domestic violence, rape, trafficking and forced slavery. The change the world is crying for cannot occur unless women’s voices are heard. Democracy cannot work without equality for women that provides equal participation and representation. It took an extraordinary and ongoing fight over 72 years for women to win the right to vote. However, the Equal Rights Amendment has still not been ratified.”

WOMEN HAVE NO CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS OTHER THAN THE VOTE — for protection of ALL other rights, we must depend on Congress and the courts.

Why haven’t we had open conversations about the choice of a woman for Vice President? Marj Signer, a strong supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, isn’t impressed. “It’s not enough to say, ‘Oh, whoop-de-do, we’ll get somebody else with a vagina,’” said Signer, president of the Virginia chapter of the National Organization for Women. “We were not doing this because she was a woman. We were doing this because she was fantastic on our issues.”

Start a dialogue today with your family, friends and colleagues about selecting a woman for VP in 2008. Get involved and take responsibility to find out what is going on.

I celebrate the women who choose to stand up and demand they be heard. I applaud the women of today who speak out and demand our rights. I am woman watch me change herstory. Remember, We Can Do It!

We have changed our meeting date to the first Tuesday of the month. Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 2nd at the Pride Center in Palm Springs. Be there – we need you!

Melinda Tremaglio, President
PSNOW

PO Box 1219-ps 92263, Palm Springs, CA 92263  Phone:(760) 333-8304  Email: mail@psnow.org