University of Cebu Banilad

Banilad, Cebu City

College of Law

SUFFRAGETTE
(Reaction Paper)

In Partial Fulfillment for:

Administrative Law, Law on Public Officers and Election Law

Submitted by:

Jon Gilbert B. Magno

JD-2 (M2)

Submitted to:

Atty. Judiel M. Pareja

ABSTRACT:

Suffragette as a term has been coined to identify women who advocate the right to vote. It was
a reprehensible term in the ears of those prejudiced towards the idea of women acquiring the right to
vote. But it was a title proudly carried by the hardworking British women who sought to be freed from the
shackles of sexism and a patriarchal society geared towards male dominance. This paper aims to
highlight the noble cause of the suffragettes and how they gained the right to suffrage to change the
course of history.

SYNOPSIS:

The stirring story centers on Maud, a working wife and mother whose life is forever changed
when she is secretly recruited to join the U.K.s growing suffragette movement. Galvanized by the outlaw
fugitive Emmeline Pankhurst , Maud becomes an activist for the cause alongside women from all walks of
life. When increasingly aggressive police action forces Maud and her dedicated fellow suffragettes
underground, they engage in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the authorities, who are shocked
as the womens civil disobedience escalates and sparks debate across the nation. Inspired by true
events, Suffragette is a moving drama exploring the passion and heartbreak of those who risked all they
had for womens right to vote their jobs, their homes, their children, and even their lives.

DISCUSSION:

The movie Suffragette centers around very crucial issues about sexism, feminism and the right
to suffrage. It primarily centers around the plight of women during the turn of the 19 th century and their
struggles to find acceptance and respect in a male-dominated society. A striking image of women was
that they were viewed as irrelevant to society and thus, they were not allowed to vote. They were
regarded as a mans property and only fit to wash clothes or stay at home and take care of the children.
However, the industrialization period of Britain brought about a significant change in British society.

There were more people needed to run factories and women were brought to the workforce.
These women were paid less than their male counterparts even though they worked harder and longer.
This severe injustice brought about the rise of feminists such as Emeline Pankhurst, who sought for
change in the system. The rallying cry of Votes for Women! was not just a cry for equality between men
and women in the ballot; but it was also a plea for justice.

The right to suffrage was a means to an end. It gave women the power to decide their destiny
and to escape the life of prejudice and maltreatment. It was a profound call for change which stood out
and captured the hearts and minds of all British women. A memorable scene in the film was when Maud
stood up against her male supervisor in order to deter the latters sexual abuse. The act of Maud burning
her male supervisors hand can be likened to the crossing of the Rubicon river by Julius Caesar. It was an
act of defiance; an act of courage and an act of strength. It shows that women will no longer tolerate
being abused and mistreated that they have the right to be respected and treated equally in this world.

The final act of Emily dying in front of King George while the latter was watching the derby was a
symbolic victory to all women who fought for suffrage. It profoundly shaped the cause of the suffrage
movement which led to the signing of the Bill granting women the right to vote. The suffrage movement
was a bitter and long war for equality and justice. But it prevailed for the better and for the good.
CONCLUSIONS:

The exercise of the right to suffrage should not be taken for granted. Nowadays, citizens in
democratic countries allow politicians to exploit them into selling their ballot in exchange for money. The
people who allow themselves to be exploited have no idea that the right to vote is a privilege. They bear
no thought or indication that people have bled and died in order to be allowed the exercise of such right.
Hence, the right to suffrage should be exercised wisely and passionately because it is a symbol of a free
nation. It is the expression of the sovereign of the voice of the people. It should be given importance and
respect. The suffragette themselves can attest to the fact that they have sacrificed and suffered for the
right to suffrage. Hence, their movement is a reminder of the strength of the human spirit embodied in a
group of fervent individuals seeking for change.

REFERENCES:

Dr. J. S. Mathur, Non-Violence and Social change, (October 1977)

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