When the amendment passed women were overjoyed, because they had achieved the goal which they had worked towards for more than 50 years, the right to vote.
Right after the amendment was ratified, voter participation in general decreased. And women tended to follow the male in the family’s vote.
The prejudiced viewpoints of some men and women at the time didn’t change right away. When the amendment was ratified campaigns were set up against the ratification of the amendment.
A Slight
Suffragists were slighted because the Secretary of State, Bainbridge Colby, signed the 19th Amendment with only his assistant as witness. Then Alice Paul was told to visit the State Department for pictures later, when she arrived Carrie Chapman Catt, member of a Conservative suffragist group, left Colby’s office with a photographer. He then had a meeting with the Spanish ambassador. The suffragists left after hours of waiting, never meeting with a photographer.
Voting Today
As women grew to partake in politics more, they passed changes such as equal pay, advanced education, and reproductive rights. The U.S. values all that Anthony represented and honors her. Anthony was commemorated by a coin that was minted in 1979-1981 and again in 1999 because of her efforts.
According to statistics, more women report voting than men who vote. In 1980, 59.4% of eligible female voters participated and 59.1% of males voted. This was the first-time voter participation balanced.
Still, even today equal pay and job advancement for women could be improved. Even now, when people think of the suffrage movement, they think of Susan B. Anthony, the face of suffrage.
