Women’s Suffrage Australia Essay Example

suffrage found it difficult to accept that women could participate in politics. They spread the belief that women were emotional and frail, incapable of making important decisions and more concerned with domestic matters (source: Big Black Dog Communications Pty Ltd australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-suffragettes, 5th March 2010).

Previously, women were excluded from participating in politics, which meant they had no influence over laws. However, a mistake in the Electoral Act of 1864 accidentally allowed women in Victorian society to vote in local and state elections. This occurred because the term "all persons" was used to refer to property-owning individuals on voting lists. Nonetheless, it became clear that women were not intended to have voting rights. As a result, the Electoral Act was quickly amended in 1865.

In the 19th century, women were seen as equals to individuals categorized as idiots and criminals in terms of political status. This viewpoint greatly influenced how women were perceived and valued for their contributions. May Lee, a well-known suffragist and social reformer from South Australia, expressed this belief in 1889. Figure 3: Sixteen Reasons For Supporting Woman's Suffrage September 1895 from the State Library of South Australia highlights the efforts made to advocate for women's suffrage. Following a significant amendment, women in various cities such as Sydney with Rose Scott, Melbourne with Henrietta Dugdale, and Western Australia with Edith Cowan began organizing themselves.

The women aimed to raise awareness about women's rights, specifically their right to vote, and advocate for social and political change. Australian women confidently conveyed their message. In September 1895, the Women's Christian Temperance Union of South Australia distributed leaflets titled "Sixteen Reasons for Supporting Women's

Suffrage," which gained widespread circulation within the community. The fight for voting rights and the ability to run in elections was a long, fierce, and at times violent battle in numerous nations.

In the UK, many suffragettes were arrested and opted for hunger strikes, leading to force-feeding or death. Some suffragettes resorted to arson or verbally harassed politicians. Emily Davison made a significant statement in 1913 by throwing herself under the King's horse at the Epsom Derby, ultimately resulting in her death. Despite these extreme actions, it took five more years for women in the UK to receive limited voting rights. It was only in 1928 that women finally achieved equal voting rights as men.

Australia women achieved political enfranchisement through peaceful and legal means. They gained equal voting rights with men relatively early in the history of women's suffrage (1902). Although they achieved voting rights in Australia, they showed support for women in the United Kingdom. This support was demonstrated through the use of a banner titled 'Trust the Women Mother, As I Have Done' painted by Dora Meeson in London. Australians carried this banner during a street rally held on June 17, 1911.

Figure 4: Women's Suffrage Petition ("Monster Petition") 1891; Parliament of Victoria. In 1891, a dedicated group of women in Victoria collected signatures for a petition. This petition gained nearly 30,000 signatures and was presented to the Parliament of Victoria with support from Premier James Munro. The petition demanded equal voting rights for women, affirming that "Women should Vote on Equal terms with Men".

The first petition, which measured approximately 260 meters long and 200mm wide, was

gathered in South Australia. Mary Lee and women's rights organizations intensified their efforts following three unsuccessful attempts to pass a law allowing women to vote. They drew inspiration from New Zealand, the first country to grant suffrage to women. Their objective was to travel throughout the state, collecting as many signatures as possible in favor of women's voting rights.

The Adult Suffrage Bill was introduced in the South Australian Parliament on August 23, 1894. The suffragettes presented a petition with 11,600 signatures and measuring 122 meters, leading to women being granted the right to vote and hold office in Parliament on December 18. As a result, South Australian women participated in the general elections of 1896. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Australian suffragettes, Australia became the first country to grant women voting rights and eligibility for federal parliament through the Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902.

Although indigenous women (and men) were initially left out of the act that gave women the right to vote in federal elections, they were eventually given this right in 1962. Furthermore, it took until 1924 for women to gain the right to vote in state elections. Australia is notable among western democratic countries as it had a 41-year period between granting suffrage to women and permitting them to run for office. Australian women hold the special honor of being the first worldwide to have both voting and candidacy rights.