Women's Equality Day
Women's Equality Day is observed annually on August 26 in the United States, commemorating the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. Officially designated by President Richard M. Nixon in 1973, this day serves not only as a celebration of women's suffrage but also as a recognition of the broader progress made in women's rights throughout American history. The historical context reveals that women, particularly in the late 18th century, were considered second-class citizens, lacking basic legal rights and autonomy. For instance, married women had no control over their personal finances, property, or even custody of their children. The observance of Women's Equality Day highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality and encourages reflection on the advancements achieved as well as the challenges that remain. It serves as an opportunity to promote awareness about women's rights and advocate for continued progress toward equality in all aspects of society.
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Women's Equality Day
Women's Equality Day
August 26, the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, is also celebrated in the United States as Women's Equality Day. It was first officially designated as such in 1973 by President Richard M. Nixon. Women's Equality Day also honors the progress in women's rights made over the course of American history. When the present Constitutional system of government first came into being, women were distinctly second-class citizens. For example, Rebekah S. Greathouse, a former assistant United States attorney for the District of Columbia, once summed up the situation of married women in 1789 (when George Washington became the first president of the United States) as follows:
A married woman could not contract for the spending of her own money, even though it had been given to her by her parents or earned by her own labor. She owned no personal property, not even the clothes she wore, nor the jewels her husband gave her. She could not sue in the courts for injury to her person. She could not make a will. Her husband could chastise her or restrain her of her liberty. In short, she was her husband's slave, dependent upon his whims, without appeal to any court, and penniless.…She had no right to the control or even the society of her own children, as her husband could transfer the guardianship of them to a third person by deed or will. No woman could vote or hold office, and the disabilities of women when married were advanced as reasons for keeping all women out of various professions.
"Why Is August 26 Known as Women's Equality Day?" Constitution Center, 26 Aug. 2022, constitutioncenter.org/blog/why-august-26-is-known-as-womans-equality-day. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"Women's Equality Day." National Women's History Alliance, nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/resources/commemorations/womens-equality-day/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"Women's Equality Day." US Department of the Interior, 2020, www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/womens-equality-day. Accessed 1 May 2024.