Sunday, August 26, is Women’s Equality Day. This day marks the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote 92 years ago. Thousands of women and their allies worked for decades to make that day in 1920 possible. It took years of lobbying and demonstrations, passing out pamphlet after pamphlet, publishing editorials, and giving speeches to make it happen. On Women’s Equality Day in 2010, we celebrated some of the great sacrifices women suffragists made in the fight for the vote.
The right to vote was a great step in women gaining equality — many of today’s elected leaders are sticking up for women and their rights because women are a vocal constituency. But it’s not enough. Some of our representatives still believe women can’t get pregnant from rape, while others want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which provides millions of women with preventive care services free of charge with their health insurance.
This election year, we can harness the vote our sisters worked hard, before and after 1920, to give us by knocking this backward thinking aside and continuing our progress toward equality. So this weekend, I hope you will join us in celebrating Women’s Equality Day by getting ready for the upcoming election. Here are five things you can do right now:
- Register to vote. Don’t wait, or it could be too late. Act now.
- Find out what will be on the ballot in your state. Don’t give too much credit to the writers of ballot measures. The language can be tricky, so reading it ahead of time will ensure you vote for what you believe in. Act now.
- Film an It’s My Vote: I Will Be Heard pep talk video. Sometimes all it takes is a connection with someone like you to make a request successful. Ask a young woman in your life about the issues that she’s voting for, and send us the footage. Act now.
- Send this blog to a young woman. Your reminder could be just what she needs to get inspired. Act now.
- Sign a petition — get involved! There are an overwhelming number of petitions on the Internet covering a huge range of topics. Sign up for the AAUW Action Network, and take a stand on important issues. Act now.
This post was written by AAUW Website Associate Marie Lindberg.
AAUW Dialog 
gosh 92 years ago… im curious to see where we will be in 92 years from now. This is truly history that need not be forgotten for future generations. thank you for sharing and making us not be able to forget. very worthy of being FP
Woman are stronger then man in many things. In the spiderman movie, he said “with great power there must also come great responsibility”. For woman to be equal in strength then it means to be equal in responsibility as well.
Woman are important. great post.
This is so great! it is true! Women can vote, but we will use that right to vote on losers who want to take away our rights? It makes me so angry when my female friends have somehow rationalised the statements said by conservatives who want to limit us. Education is a moving forward process. I will definitely be sharing this post!
Wow great post, thanks so much! I feel the need to get on it right away, it is so important to protect our rights as women. Women have the power to save this world, we must protect them! I’m a woman so it goes without saying I’m going to try doing some of these things for myself 😉 Congrats on FP as well!!
Just a caveat for #4 — only send it to young women who agree with YOU because it’s a huge success for feminism if women OF YOUR TRIBE AND ONLY YOUR TRIBE get ahead.
The only assumptions you will make about me based on this comment are, I guarantee, dead wrong.
Reblogged this on DeLeDesserts and commented:
We are the same when it comes to certain things, Thank God not all! Femmes Fatales do your thing!
Reblogged this on Whenquiet's Blog and commented:
“`’You over there…. yeah you…. You said women shouldn’t be given the right to vote ‘cos’ Christ wasn’t a woman. Well, where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman. Man ain’t had nothin’ to do with it….” Excerpt from Sojourner Truth’s Speech, “Ain’t I A Woman”
As a member of Democrats Abroad, Strasbourg, France branch, I will definitly make sure my constituents check out this blog entry. Congrats!
The person who reads too much and uses his brain too little will fall into lazy habits of thinking. —Albert Einstein
Thank you for this post! I reblogged it on my site A Woman Phenomenally! http://awomanphenomenally.com/2012/08/28/five-ways-to-celebrate-womens-equality-day/
Nice post except that why is it ok for you to use the power of government to force me to pay for your birth control or any other healthcare item or service? Obamacare is not the answer.
Glorious!
Good stuff.
great post
I am like this post very much.
Very interesting article! But then again, I had a look around your blog, and they are all interesting articles 😛
Womens are the important part of our society.
Very informative indeed. Even though I’m not woman, I believe strongly that feminism is still an integral part of human civilization, and we must never forget that. It’s a shame that there are some women who are starting to take it for granted…
Great suggestions and reminders that the road ahead for women’s equity is still arduous.
All the more reason to get women voting!