What Women Want, They Get

What Women Want, They Get

Women used to be thought of as the stay at home mother by men. She was supposed to take care of the children and take care of the home. Seeing a woman in the workforce was desirable as long as she had an education. Women were seen working in factories or as teachers but they had no say in the government. Thanks to a few women dedicated to making a difference, women have become more independent and now have a say in the government if they choose too. The movie Iron Jawed Angels depicts a group of women who wanted women to have a voice in politics. First thing they had to do was get women the right to vote.

Alice Paul and Lucy Burns were the two leaders of the NWP (National Woman's Party). The two women are an inspiration to others. They stood up for how they felt, and were not going to let anyone get in their way. They felt so strongly about women's rights that they got other women involved. These women went out in crowds and handed fliers to strangers, they held a parade the day of President Wilson's inauguration. They did not care whom they angered or how far they had to go to get what they wanted.

There were times that the women even risked their lives. Inez Milholland, the "woman on the horse," she new that she was ill and she did not want to go on a cross-country speaking tour, because she was afraid that she too tired and would not make it. Paul encouraged her and was able to change her mind. Milholland decided not to let her illness keep her from demonstrating how she felt about women's rights. While on the tour, Milholland collapses during one her speaks and dies.

Alice Paul and the other NWP members were arrested and charged with "obstructing traffic" even though their picket line was on the sidewalk. Since the women refused to pay the fine, the women were sentenced to sixty days in prison. Paul and the other women that were imprisoned also risked their lives by going on a hunger strike. They were literally starving themselves to death to make people notice their dedication, and bring notice to their cause. The women were even willing to die from starvation because they knew that they had not done anything wrong. They did not deserve to be in prison in the first place, and they knew that.

Alice Paul and Lucy Burns dedicated their lives to the NWP so much that they totally forgot about themselves.