I’m a Fan of the 19th Amendment

We hold these truths to be self-evident,
That all men are created equal,
That they are endowed…with certain
Unalienable Rights, that among
These are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
Of happiness.


These powerful words from the Declaration of Independence were poetic and important but by no means did they ensure equal rights for all people living in America.
Even in 1791, when the Bill of Rights (which included amendments 1-10) was added onto the Constitution, it did not extend true freedom or rights to women or to people of color, either.
In 1848, two strong women: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, made the deliberate choice to fight for freedom for themselves and for the rights of all American women. Both were activists in the movement to abolish slavery. But Mott had been refused permission to speak at the world anti-slavery Convention – even though she was an official delegate.
So these women decided to do something about it. At The Seneca Falls Convention (the 1st conference to address women’s rights and issues), looking back at America’s original ideas for freedom -- they used the language of the Declaration of Independence to create the following Declaration of Sentiments:


We hold these rights to be self-evident:
That all men and women are created equal.
The history of mankind is a history
Of repeated injuries and usurpations
On the part of man toward woman,
Having in direct object the establishment
Of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this,
Let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has never permitted her inalienable right
To the elective franchise.
He has compelled her to submit to laws
In the formation of which she had no voice…
He has taken from her all Rights in property,
Even to the wages she earns.

Due to the impact their voices had on America, along with the work and support of many more women and other people: on August 18, 1920 the 19th amendment was ratified and added to the Constitution of the United States of America, finally giving women the right to vote.

When I look at this video of Obama signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (posted below), ensuring equal pay with no discrimination due to gender or race -- I think of just how far we’ve come since America’s b-day.

Girls Bill of Rights (Girls Inc.):


Girls have the right….
To be themselves and to resist gender stereoypes.
Girls have the right…
To express themselves with originality and enthusiasm.
Girls have the right…
To take risks, strive freely, and to take pride in their success.
Girls have the right…
To accept and appreciate their bodies.
Girls have the right…
To have confidence in themselves and to be safe in the world.
Girls have the right…
To prepare for interesting work and economic independence.

Historical Moment 4 American History: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act