Feminists (Don't) Wear Pink

Nowadays, in our culture, certain things are taken for granted.  Women can drive.  Women can work.  Women can vote.  

This hasn’t always been so.  In fact, the first time that women voted in an election was merely 100 years ago, precisely on the 14th of December, 1918.  This voting was open to all women who were over the age of 30 and who either owned or had a husband who owned property.  The option to vote was embraced by the female population.  In a report dated 16^th December 1918,  a female correspondent said the following: 

The interest of the women voters seemed to be without distinction of class or age. One saw some old grandmother tottering along beside her daughter and granddaughter, as determined and quite as calm as they in facing this new and still almost incredible experience. What most impressed the visitor to many polling-booths was the businesslike way in which most of the women went about their task. It was quite evident that they had made up their minds whom they were going to vote for.

In order to celebrate 100 years since women voted for the first time in general elections, Scarlett Curtis, the author of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink, started a campaign which unveiled 50 murals around London.  These murals featured accomplished women throughout history, such as Malala Yousafzai and suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst.  

The aim of these murals is to celebrate both feminist icons and women who have done a lot for the female population but whose stories are less known.  This is very important, both to serve as a reminder of those women who fought for the opportunities that we tend to take for granted today, and for girls and women to see themselves represented in positions of power.  

A century has passed since this radical change in society.  The strides in development that the women of the past have made should be greatly celebrated, because these brave women who fought against the norms of the time are the reason why we don't have to fight today.