On August 18, 1920 women were finally granted the right to vote. Women like Susan B. Anthony fought for their rights through several extreme acts to receive the right to vote. One hundred years later, we have made some progress for women in American society, including not only voting rights, but by other level of being treated fairly and equally with men. In other ways, we maybe haven’t progressed as far. The Gavel Staff talked to Huskies about their opinion on where women’s equality stands 100 years after gaining the right to vote.
DID YOU KNOW IT’S BEEN APPROXIMATELY 100 YEARS SINCE WOMEN WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE?
Maria Macias: “No, I did not know that. I think that’s really cool, especially considering that a lot of women now still don’t have any rights”.
Felixsha Villarreal: “I did not know that and I feel that there’s not enough coverage on the topic and its stressed enough in the media right now.”
Jonathon Schuessler: “I think it’s bittersweet, because women should have had the right a very long time ago, way before they did, but it’s also good knowing that they are getting the rights and freedoms every single day.”
WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ON CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING WOMEN’S POSITION IN SOCIETY?
Maria Macias: “We’re still gaining a role in it because if you notice more women are being things like supreme court justices; however, we still don’t dominate the political or business industry. Even then, men tend to think that it’s unfair that women are fighting for more rights.”
Natanya Astorga-Garcia: “A really common one is wage gaps and a lot of stigmas.”
DO YOU FEEL THAT WOMEN ARE TREATED INFERIOR OR SUPERIOR?
Isaac Rios: “It’s a mix of both because I think women now have more opportunities than men, just because they were discriminated against back then.”
Jonathon Schuessler: “I don’t think women are either-or. I believe everyone is the same, in my opinion.”
DO YOU HONESTLY THINK WOMEN ARE TREATED EQUAL TO MEN AT THE PRESENT TIME?
Jonathon Schuessler: “I personally believe that they are, but I don’t think that our society believes that they are equal and they have everyday inequality, such as not getting paid the same and stuff like that.”
Isaac Rios: “In my opinion, yes–but not in everyone else’s. Let’s say for example in the corporate world you have a wage gap. Politicians are mainly men and women are up-and-coming on the political scene, but not as big as men.”
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN YOU FELT INFERIOR BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A WOMAN?
Felixsha Villarreal: “Yes, there have been many times. I feel especially from guys. They’ll make jokes about it like, ‘oh, you’re a woman and you don’t have rights.’ They play around with that and it’s a touchy subject. We have voices too and they should be heard.”
Natania Astroga-Garcia: “Yes. Sometimes at work if I want to do a specific job like take out the trash, they’ll tell me no because i’m not a boy.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK WE AS A SOCIETY ARE DOING TO IMPROVE THESE INEQUALITIES?
Maria Macias: “Were giving everyone the same opportunities, and women are entitled to education now.”
Natanya Astorga-Garcia: “There’s been a lot of movements and activists trying to make statements and changes. I think that raising awareness is a really big part of it.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ADVANCING WOMEN’S RIGHTS GLOBALLY, CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE:
https://www.unwomen.org/en