Emmeline Pankhurst 

#WednesdayPeopleList #People who influence the world #women
#persistent women #UKShePersisted #womenvote

Emmeline Pankhurst(1858~1928)

The leader of the British suffragette movement, gained recognition for her influential role. In 2002, she was honored as one of the BBC’s 100 Greatest Britons, and Time magazine named her one of the most important figures of the twentieth century.

In contrast to conventional expectations of women, Emmeline P. took bold actions against the government and the police. She resorted to disruptive methods, including petitioning, to demand equal voting rights for women in the UK. As a consequence, she faced numerous arrests and imprisonments, and even went on hunger strikes while in jail.

With the outbreak of the First World War, the suffragette protests were temporarily suspended as attention turned towards foreign enemies. Women were encouraged to participate in national production, taking over the roles previously held by men who were fighting on the front lines. This increased the recognition of British women’s indispensability in society and provided a favorable foundation for future battles for women’s voting rights.

In 1918, the British Parliament finally passed legislation granting women the right to vote under certain conditions (being over 30 years old and having property). It wasn’t until 1928 that full equality with men was achieved in voting rights. Unfortunately, Emmeline P. did not live to see this day and passed away in the same year.