For decades women struggled for the rights to vote along with travel what seemed to be an almost impossible journey to full and equal civil rights as American citizens. Women like Marie Jenney Howe helped pave the way for women to have a chance at achieving that goal. Howe was a member of the newly formed National Women’s Suffrage Association. She was also known for her monolog parody on the Opposition to Women’s Suffrage, created in 1913.
Howe wrote and performed this parody because of the ridicule and negative unjust assumptions from the anti-suffrage opponents about women’s rights. In 1881, Frances Willard urged her followers “Do everything!” and she meant every word of what she said. Thought up by the men of the late 19th century home …show more content…
She made several points and poked fun on how the Antis are against women voting and having a place in politics. According to them from Howes perspective “woman suffrage is simply a reform against nature!” (Howe). Antis felt Enfranchisement and banding together is what makes men men and disenfranchisement is what makes women women. Women were viewed as practically incompetent, ignorant, delicate, catty, weak and impulsive. It was looked at by the Antis that if women =would enfranchise and be allowed to vote that they would neglect their homes, abandon their families and spend all their time at the polls even though the polls are only open once a year. Women would be there all the time because “they are creatures of habit” (Howe (Antis Views). They felt women didn’t understand politics well enough to vote, they thought that woman would only vote for whoever her husband voted for thus doubling the existing vote, that or they would vote against each other and cause strife and conflict in the home and between husband and wife. Howe thought of the men that had views like this to be “hyenas in petticoats”. She was a strong and proud advocate of the Women’s Suffrage and wanted this parody to show the Antis that even though her adversaries may try and belittle, mock, and underestimate the power of woman and all she can do, she can NOT be
Howe wrote and performed this parody because of the ridicule and negative unjust assumptions from the anti-suffrage opponents about women’s rights. In 1881, Frances Willard urged her followers “Do everything!” and she meant every word of what she said. Thought up by the men of the late 19th century home …show more content…
She made several points and poked fun on how the Antis are against women voting and having a place in politics. According to them from Howes perspective “woman suffrage is simply a reform against nature!” (Howe). Antis felt Enfranchisement and banding together is what makes men men and disenfranchisement is what makes women women. Women were viewed as practically incompetent, ignorant, delicate, catty, weak and impulsive. It was looked at by the Antis that if women =would enfranchise and be allowed to vote that they would neglect their homes, abandon their families and spend all their time at the polls even though the polls are only open once a year. Women would be there all the time because “they are creatures of habit” (Howe (Antis Views). They felt women didn’t understand politics well enough to vote, they thought that woman would only vote for whoever her husband voted for thus doubling the existing vote, that or they would vote against each other and cause strife and conflict in the home and between husband and wife. Howe thought of the men that had views like this to be “hyenas in petticoats”. She was a strong and proud advocate of the Women’s Suffrage and wanted this parody to show the Antis that even though her adversaries may try and belittle, mock, and underestimate the power of woman and all she can do, she can NOT be