“We demand to be heard. We demand to be seen. We demand equality and nothing in between.” So sings the incredibly talented cast of the Tony Award-winning show Suffs, including its creator and star Shaina Taub. The Broadway musical, a mere few minutes’ walk from Grand Central for us Westchester County moms commuting by train, is a must-see!
And its message is one we must still take to heart. The show is about the suffrage movement culminating in American women winning the right to vote through the ratification and certification of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920 (though women of color could not exercise this right until decades later due to discriminatory laws and practices). Today, 104 years later, women — and their allies — must still advocate for equality.
Last year, in honor of Women’s Equality Day, I wrote about how we should celebrate it daily, including by teaching our kids that women can do and be anything and supporting other women. As we approach a historic national election this year, I want to focus on our long-fought-for ability to vote. As it says in one of my favorite children’s books, My First Book of Feminism: “When you’re 18, you can vote. Show you care! Wield your power and voice to help make the world fair.”
Don’t neglect this privilege. Get out there and vote! Election Day is November 5, and your application to register to vote in New York must be received no later than October 26.
You can check your registration status, find your polling place, and more by texting MOTHER to 26797, a campaign sponsored by the nonpartisan movement Chamber of Mothers. The nonprofit, dedicated to advancing maternal rights in America, offers many other great resources. Please read, learn, and share.
