Suffragette

A suffragette was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU).

This was a British activist group fighting for women's right to vote. They operated in the early 20th century to achieve universal suffrage. This means they wanted all women to have a voice in public elections. The WSPU was distinct from the much larger National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). Supporters of the NUWSS were known as suffragists. While suffragists focused on peaceful methods, suffragettes were known for more direct action.

The WSPU was founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester.

Pankhurst felt that progress toward voting rights was moving too slowly. She decided that women had to "do the work ourselves." This led to the adoption of the motto "deeds, not words." The group used civil disobedience to force the government to listen. In 1906, a journalist for the Daily Mail coined the term "suffragette." Some believe the name was meant to belittle the women. Others say it was meant to highlight their revolutionary impatience. The women embraced the name and used it for their newspaper.

Suffragette tactics were often intense and confrontational. They heckled politicians and tried to storm Parliament. Some members chained themselves to railings or smashed windows. The movement even included a campaign of bombing and arson. These actions often led to arrests and conflict with the police. In 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney disrupted political speeches. They were arrested for a technical assault on a policeman. They refused to pay their fines to gain more publicity. This helped keep their cause in the news.

To change their public image, the WSPU used specific symbols. In 1908, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence designed a tricolour color scheme. Purple represented loyalty and dignity. White represented purity. Green represented hope.

These colors became a way for women to identify with the cause. Shops like Selfridges sold ribbons, badges, and even toilet soap in these colors. The movement even had its own board game called "Pank-a-Squith." This game was named after Pankhurst and Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. It required players to navigate obstacles to reach Parliament.

Being a suffragette often meant facing harsh conditions in prison.

Many women went on hunger strikes to protest their treatment. The government responded by force-feeding the prisoners.

This was a difficult and controversial process. One of the first women to undergo force-feeding was Evaline Hilda Burkitt. The struggle also resulted in tragic loss. In 1913, Emily Wilding Davison died at the Epsom Derby. She ran in front of King George V's horse. This event made headlines across the entire world.

The movement saw significant changes during World War I. In 1914, the WSPU suspended its suffrage campaign. The group shifted its focus to supporting the war effort. They participated in the White Feather Campaign during this time. However, the work of the peaceful NUWSS continued. After the war, the British government passed the Representation of the People Act 1918. This law gave the vote to some women. However, it was not equal to men. Only women over age 30 who met property qualifications could vote. This was partly to avoid a female voting majority since many men had died in the war.

True electoral equality arrived a decade later. The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 changed the law again. This act gave all women the right to vote at age 21. This meant women finally had the same voting rights as men. The struggle of the suffragettes was part of a global trend. By the end of the 19th century, women had won the vote in other places. New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant the vote to all women over 21 in 1893. In the United States, women in Wyoming and Utah had gained voting rights much earlier. The suffragette movement remains a major part of history.