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A CAUSE WORTH FIGHTING FOR<o:p></o:p>As far back as I can remember, I found myself fighting against inequity. As I got older, my strong spirit got me into all sorts of ‘trouble’. Arrested by the police, I was labelled dangerous. But what would you have done when the women you saw struggling around you were considered second-class citizens in their own country? I felt it was my place to lead this effort.<o:p></o:p>I was born in Manchester in 1858. At that time, life for women was tough with poor education, bad housing, and a lack of medical knowledge. The average lifespan was about 50 years.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2F276f288cf1074e169fa23807948d39f6" alt="" style="width: 280.881px; height: 442.562px;"> <o:p></o:p>No woman had real power until she held the right to vote. Without a say in who made the decisions in Parliament, life for women would never change. Women would always be controlled by men. <o:p></o:p>We needed legal and political freedom. We needed educational and career opportunities.<o:p></o:p>A PARTNER IN THE FIGHT<o:p></o:p>My parents had ten children, but they were very involved in improving the lives of those around them. Both believed in women’s suffrage, although strangely enough they too often overlooked my interest in politics and my deep wish to fight for those less fortunate. <o:p></o:p>Once, when my father thought I was asleep, I heard him say: “What a pity she wasn’t born a lad”. I was determined to prove that gender did not matter. A woman could equally make a mark on the world. <o:p></o:p>Strangely enough, Britain and the Empire was ruled by a Queen. Yet Queen Victoria wasn’t interested in women’s rights. This frustrated me but did not put me off. <o:p></o:p>When I was 20, I fell in love with a barrister called Richard Pankhurst. He believed in women’s rights and had drafted an important piece of work called The Married Women’s Property Acts. It was important because it was the first bill for the enfranchisement of women ever to be presented to Parliament. <o:p></o:p>Working side-by-side with a partner can be rewarding. We were excited but we knew it wouldn’t be easy. Making changes means challenging people on their views, their decisions and what they believe in. <o:p></o:p>RISE OF THE SUFFRAGETTES<o:p></o:p>It came to an end quite suddenly when Richard died in 1898. My spirits were at their lowest point. But along with my daughters, Christabel and Sylvia, we vowed to carry on the fight for equality. We formed the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). We went to very public places, marched in the streets and attracted attention from women across the country.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2F8a1d06016b6a43329bd469e51ac23065" alt="" style="width: 295.922px; height: 444.5px;"> <o:p></o:p>Torchlight processions and colourful events were our trademarks, and when any WSPU member was in prison, we protested loudly. Then, when they were released, we paraded in silk petticoats to celebrate. Some people were shocked at our behaviour. But we knew we would attract much-needed publicity. <o:p></o:p>We needed attention to win votes for women.<o:p></o:p>Some of us broke the law. We set fires, smashed windows, sent letter bombs and chained ourselves to railings. When we were arrested, many of us chose to go on hunger&nbsp;strikes, which meant we were force-fed. <o:p></o:p>In court, I spoke my mind. I wanted to get the word out to those who supported us. On 21 June 1908, up to 500,000 people rallied in Hyde Park, to demand votes for women. Actions got us noticed, so I said ‘Deeds, not words’ was to be our motto. <o:p></o:p>FIGHTING FOREVER<o:p></o:p>In 1910, I led a protest to Prime Minister Asquith’s office. Police stopped our entry into Parliament. Over 100 women were arrested, and a riot began. The news called it ‘Black Friday’ and to me, it felt like civil war. But women’s rights were not the only political matter in the news.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2Fe7d269e0b6ad463887543bcd4085898c" alt="" style="width: 270.779px; height: 447.938px;"> <o:p></o:p>War against Germany offered new opportunities for women. There were jobs on the trams and buses, jobs in the munitions factories and many more jobs in the hospitals. Suddenly, war had taken up our fight. We agreed to suspend the suffragette campaign and our imprisoned ‘sisters’ were released. <o:p></o:p>By 1918, Parliament gave the vote to property-owning women aged over 30. It was a big moment, and a start on the track to equal rights for women.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>Believe in yourself, believe in your purpose and believe in your ability to make change for good.<o:p></o:p>GLOSSARY<o:p></o:p>Suffrage – the right to vote in political elections.<o:p></o:p>Enfranchisement – giving someone a right or privilege.<o:p></o:p>Hunger strikes – protesting against something by refusing to eat.<o:p></o:p>Munitions – military weapons, ammunition or equipment.<o:p></o:p>LEGACY AND RECOGNITION<div><ul><li>A key leader of the suffragettes, Emmeline Pankhurst endured several jail sentences because of her actions and protests for the cause she believed in.</li><li>Emmeline Pankhurst’s efforts were instrumental in women eventually being granted the right to vote, and also gaining the many civil liberties that modern women now have.</li><li>Emmeline Pankhurst and the fight for women’s right to vote have been commemorated in numerous ways, including a statue outside the British Parliament and a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery.</li><li>Her life has been dramatized in the BBC mini-series Shoulder to Shoulder and the film Suffragette, in which she was portrayed by Meryl Streep.</li></ul>IMAGE CAPTIONS AND CREDITSEmmeline Pankhurst, LSE Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsAnnie Kenney and Christabel Pankhurst, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<o:p></o:p>Emmeline Pankhurst in prison, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons</div>

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