Rene Yamamoto is one. He believes women’s suffrage and, more importantly, a world without misogyny are no longer only utopian ideals but are in fact achievable. Like many other women, she was inspired by those who fought to give the vote to women during the US civil rights movement, especially Fannie Lou Hamer.
Sixty years on from that historic event, the United Kingdom is the latest country to recognise the right to vote. Britain’s new Prime Minister Theresa May, who campaigned on issues such as gay rights, has called for the vote to be introduced, having lost the support of her junior coalition partner Labour.
The new Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, is also calling for a national referendum.
“We must now make sure the right to vote is extended to all women living in this country and to ensure that women are treated equally once they win,” Farron added.
“It is right that the new administration and a Liberal Democrat government will continue to work together to make equality real for everyone by making sure equal treatment is available within all our public services and the law.”
At the time, the British government stated that it was committed to expanding the franchise to all women.
“Every government needs to consider the need to extend the franchise to all women who are currently not eligible to vote and we are working in concert with a number of organisations on the issue,” the UK government stated.
“We are continuing to work positively with the UK Conservatives to introduce a women’s franchise and have secured funding through our Women in Leadership competition to support Women in the Public Service.”
In a statement of support from the UK’s Labour Party, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote that extending the franchise was a “historic day ahead of us”.
“Universal suffrage for women has always been a cornerstone of democracy for our country’s women. And yet, for more than 75 years, women have been excluded from these rights – a reality that has been exacerbated by decades of misogynistic and discriminatory laws,” Corbyn wrote.
“This day is a celebration of our success at the ballot box for decades of struggle, and the historic importance of the franchise. The idea that the right to marry should come to women who don’t want to marry is a deeply regrettable setback. But it is not the end of our fight for full equality for women,” he added.
Despite the progress made during the 20th century,