The Importance of Feminism: A Progression of Women's Rights in America from the

Women's Suffrage Movement to the Modern Female Experience

The modern female identity is broad and complex, containing individualistic intersections

unique to each and every woman. Additionally, the American societal perception of the role of

women and femininity in general has transformed completely throughout the past few centuries.

The fight for gender equality in the United States concerns a longstanding progression through

which women have gained countless rights and liberties. However, the fight is not yet finished,

and it must continue until men and women are viewed and treated equally throughout the nation.

The fight for equal rights between men and women in America has progressed tremendously

since its measurable start in the Women's Suffrage Movement, however, the paradigm shift has

not yet fully concluded, as the United States still lacks gender equality.

Early Women's Rights: The Women's Suffrage Movement

The Women's Suffrage Movement and specific women's rights activists promoted gender

equality throughout the 19th century, but progress was slow due to the cultural norms of the time.

The first major event which promoted women's suffrage was the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention,

held in Seneca Falls, New York (National Constitution Center). This convention is often known

as the "birthplace of feminism," due to its fundamental role in the paradigm shift towards gender

equality in the United States (National Constitution Center). The convention concluded with a

"Declaration of Sentiments," written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which included what all of the

attendees deemed to be fundamental women's rights (National Constitution Center). Also

included in the document is the well known quote in the world of American history with regard
to women's rights, "we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created

equal" (National Constitution Center). The Seneca Falls Convention marks a symbol of gender

equality and feminism, even in the modern day world. This symbol is important towards

promoting modern women's rights and gender equality, as the paradigm shift towards a world in

which all genders are perceived equally has not yet concluded. The kairos of the event is also

important; the Seneca Falls Convention sparked radical ideas about changes in the

male-dominated society of the time, which contributed largely to the progression of the ultimate

paradigm shift towards gender equality. After the convention, certain female rights advocacy

groups were formed (National Women's History Museum). These major competing organizations

were the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association

(National Women's History Museum). However, by 1890 Alice Stone Blackwell negotiated for a

combination of the groups, forming the National American Woman Suffrage Association (Office

of the Historian). This new conglomerate group, the National American Woman Suffrage

Association (NAWSA), largely coordinated the national suffrage movement in the United States

(National Women's History Museum). They worked throughout the end of the 19th century to

shift the paradigm towards gender equality by championing ideals about women's voting rights

(National Women's History Museum). One major way the organization was able to promote this

new ideology about a woman's capabilities and intelligence was through the press, which was the

mass media of the time period (National Women's History Museum). The exigence of this

organization was strong in encouraging and influencing a conversation about women's voting

rights, even if society did not fully agree, meaning the group promoted an emerging ideology.

Furthermore, certain women's rights figures were critical players in progressing the paradigm

shift towards gender equality in the 19th century. Certain important players in the fight for
women's rights are the well-known Susan B. Anthony, but also the lesser known Alice Stone

Blackwell. Susan B. Anthony was a champion of abolition, labor rights, equal pay, and women's

rights and liberties throughout her lifetime, which spanned throughout most of the 19th century

(1820-1906) (Hayward). One groundbreaking act of Anthony's was the fact that she delivered

speeches pursuing women's suffrage during a time in which societal norms prevented many

women from speaking in public (Hayward). Additionally, she was a leader in the NAWSA

organization, which ultimately achieved voting rights for women after Anthony's death

(Hayward). Ultimately, Susan B. Anthony's persuasive and vocal tactics moved many people and

were effective in progressing the paradigm shift towards gender equality; the fact that she is an

integral part of most American history courses which cover the 19th century is only a testament

to her legacy. However, other women were also impactful in progressing the paradigm shift even

though they are not as well recognized in history. For example, Alice Stone Blackwell, who lived

from 1857-1950 was an esteemed editor, writer, and translator who was effective in aiding the

Women's Suffrage Movement (National Park Service). Blackwell was the recording secretary of

NAWSA until 1918, and became the sole editor of The Women's Journal, a newspaper aimed at

discussing issues regarding women's rights in the 19th and 20th centuries (National Park

Service). Blackwell had a different role than Anthony as the media she used to address the

concept of women's rights was divergent from Susan B. Anthony's (speech versus text), however,

she still persuaded many to join the fight for women's rights and progressed the paradigm shift

towards gender equality (Hayward). The idea of an independent woman being awarded rights

such as voting in society was an emerging ideology throughout the 19th century, because it was

unprecedented. As time went on, it became more normalized, but this level of progressiveness

was emerging and would not become dominant for centuries. Also, the commonplace of equality,
specifically voting equality rings true for this era of the Women's Rights Movement. This period

only scrapes the surface of the fight for women's rights throughout the 19th century, however,

change exploded with regard to gender equality throughout the 20th century, and the paradigm

shift further progressed.

20th Century Rights: Nuanced Progress

Throughout the 20th century, there were many achievements in the fight for women's rights in

America, however, they were not awarded to all women at the same time. One way that women's

rights were able to advance throughout the 20th century was through more intense advocacy

groups, such as the National Women's Party (NWP), founded by Alice Paul in 1912 (Library of

Congress). The National Women's Party, which rivaled the National American Woman Suffrage

Association, was a more aggressive and forthright entity; the group advocated for gender equality

using tactics such as marches, rallies, and civil disobedience (Office of the Historian). This style

was hard for leaders and the press to ignore, so the NWP was able to garner attention to the

Women's Rights Movement. While this group applied a different methodology than the NAWSA,

the institutions shared a common ideology of gender equality, which was still emerging at the

beginning of the 20th century. However, eventually, the 19th Amendment, which officially

granted women the legal right to vote, passed on June 4, 1919 and was ratified on August 18,

1920 (National Archives). This event was a landmark decision in the paradigm shift towards

gender equality, and rectified the inequality surrounding taxation without representation and the

perceived lack of intelligence in women. However, not all women were truly granted the right to

vote. Black women, especially those who lived in the South, faced Jim Crow Laws which

prevented them from voting at all (Jones). Black women in the North were able to vote, but still
faced many prejudices due to their intersectional identities (Jones). Identity–specifically, the

female identity–is a layered and complex subject with many intersections. While we look at the

ratification of the 19th Amendment as a measure promoting equality for all women, the

disparities in privilege due to diverging female identities cannot be ignored. The road towards

gender equality which included African American Women was aided largely by the development

of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Created in 1909

to promote racial equality in the United States, the NAACP was a major organization which

influenced the Civil Rights Movement in America (Britannica). Within the institution, women

were major players in working towards racial equality which goes hand in hand with gender

equality in this case. Mildred Bond Roxbourough worked closely with the organization as she

was a long-time secretary during the fight for civil rights (Library of Congress). She recalls the

importance of women throughout the fight, "Well, actually, when you think about women's

contributions to the NAACP, without the women we wouldn't have an NAACP" (Library of

Congress). Another important landmark in the paradigm shift towards gender equality was the

implementation of Title IX. The U.S. Department of Education describes Title IX, a law which

passed in 1972, as an amendment which "protects people from discrimination based on sex in

education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance"(U.S. Department of

Education). The implementation of a law of this sort displays the ideological shift occurring step

by step as women were taken more seriously in the professional world, and policies were created

which championed gender equality. Furthermore, in 1973, Roe v. Wade was passed by the

Supreme Court, which was a landmark decision in terms of women's liberties (Justia). The main

holding of Roe, according to Justicia is that "a person may choose to have an abortion until a

fetus becomes viable, based on the right to privacy contained in the Due Process Clause of the
Fourteenth Amendment." This concept and case were related to a woman's right to privacy and

equal protection under the United States Constitution, a push towards a society which regards

women as equals to men in terms of having bodily autonomy. Another influential figure in the

fight for gender equality who bridges the 20th and 21st century is the late Supreme Court Justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ginsburg faced discrimination based on her sex throughought the entirety

of her education and most of her career, but she persevered and became an iconic and influential

figure who provided representation for many females interested in law (Oyez). Appointed to the

Supreme Court in 1993, she served until her death in 2020 (Oyez). RBG championed women's

rights and liberties throughout her lifetime and made significant changes in the Supreme Court's

rulings for women (Oyez). Her strong ideology was influential, and her exigent presence on the

court and in the public eye progressed the paradigm shift towards gender equality.

The Modern Female Experience: 21st Century Women's Rights (or Lack Thereof) in

America

Throughout the 21st century in the United States, the paradigm shift towards gender

equality has progressed greatly, however, modern inequalities still negatively impact the life of

the modern American woman. Firstly, the United States's culture and society harbors implicit

biases about the capabilities of women, and the general role of women being less than that of a

man. Because this ideology is ingrained in the patriarchal culture, almost every individual fosters

an implicit bias about the role of women, and it is extremely hard to avoid making these

judgements. The paradigm shift will not fully conclude until the cultural and social implicit

biases many have about women being lesser than men can change, and this tends to be a long

process. For example, in order to really rid oneself of implicit biases, they must "check
themselves" after every internal judgment they make about a woman, and analyze if it is rooted

in the patriarchal culture of the United States. If so, one must be intentional in addressing and

eradicating those ideas from their mindset. Many people are uncomfortable doing this, or refuse

to believe there is a problem, which is why the change is unlikely to occur anytime soon.

However, it is not unreasonable to say that the dominant ideology of the 21st century perceives

women as much closer to equals with men than previous centuries. Although this view is still

progressing and changing, women are taken a lot more seriously in the modern professional

world than they were even 50 years ago. Many women in the United States have jobs, and are

able to pursue any career that they choose. Generally, there is a societal consensus that women

are as strong and as capable as men, and can do whatever they set their minds to. Another

interesting avenue of the female identity concerns the conversation about transgender women,

who are queer people who identify as women even though their sex assigned at birth was not

female (Glaad). Of course, transgender women are just as much of women as females assigned at

birth, but progress towards a more gender inclusive environment and community expands the

concept of female identity. The female identity is layered, and intersectionality is an important

aspect of femininity which must be examined with regard to the modern American societal

perception of women. For example, the experience of a white, heterosexual, cisgender woman in

modern America is likely to be very different than that of a transgender woman; even though the

two are both women, the intersections in their identities change their experiences.

Unfortunately, however, in modern American society, certain regressions in the fight

towards gender equality have transpired, setting back the paradigm shift. An example of one of

these regressions would be the recent debacle surrounding Roe v. Wade, the law which protected

an American woman's right to abortion for almost 50 years. On June 24th, 2022 the Supreme
Court released an official opinion which overturned Roe v. Wade with a 6-3 vote (University

Wire). This act shocked and devastated many women because it seems hard to believe that they

are respected, especially when they are not granted bodily autonomy in modern society. Finally,

the wage gap remains a longstanding inequality which must be eradicated before gender equality

can reign in the nation. The wage gap exists, and it is the difference in average salary between a

man and a woman who do the same work (University Wire). According to the most recent data,

women on average earn 82 cents to a man's dollar (CAP). Furthermore, this wage gap is

increased when compared to marginalized and minority groups of women (CAP). The wage gap

is an effect of the patriarchal system that the United States is built on, and must be closed in

order for the paradigm shift towards gender equality to ever be completed. The well established

patriarchal culture has not yet been eradicated in the United States, however, once further

progress is made, the paradigm shift will likely conclude and gender equality will reign.

Conclusion

Although women are perceived with more legitimacy in modern society than they were at

the beginning of the Women's Suffrage Movement, the fight for gender equality is not over, nor

has the paradigm shift fully concluded. Yes, there were major landmarks and influential female

figures throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries which further progressed the paradigm shift

from the 1850s to the modern world. But looking back on all of the progress means nothing if

men and women are not yet perceived as equals in modern American society. Women are just as

capable as men; it is unjust that gender inequalities are still present in the United States. Women

deserve equal rights and female-specific liberties. Promotion of this cause is critical, and the

younger generation is at the crux of potential change. Although this paradigm shift has spanned
centuries and still requires effort in order to reach its completion, society should have hope that it

can fully conclude in the future. After all, if we don't believe in a future in which gender equality

reigns, what is the point of working towards it in the first place?

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