Equal Rights In The Movie: Iron Jawed Angels

Improved Essays
Iron Jawed Angels
The movie "Iron Jawed Angels" is about a group of young females who work together to try to get an amendment passed in the United States for woman suffrage. The main character in this movie is Alice Paul, the leader of the group in based in Washington DC. She tries to organize parades, standouts, and even strikes to help get the point across that the National Women 's Suffrage Association wants suffrage for all women. Alice Paul is not just any Quaker. She is a strong minded, independent woman who believes it is women’s right to have equal opportunity in the work field and in politics. Her actions in leading this group does have its consequences. Alice Paul gets physically assaulted, thrown in jail, and even forced fed just
…show more content…
Why did they do everything in their power to keep them from doing what they want or living a free life? The men loved the idea of coming home from a long day’s work and have no other responsibility. They loved the idea of coming home to a clean house, cared for children, and a home cooked meal. I mean honestly, what can beat that? Women, however, see this as being almost enslaved. They couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without the husband’s permission. They weren 't making a salary so the husband gave them an allowance like parents would do for their children. This lifestyle was brutal for most women and they were tired of it. Men were also afraid that competition in the workforce would significantly increase if women had full suffrage. Men were seriously so afraid of losing their jobs to women that they did everything it took to keep them from full suffrage. But to Alice, that’s no problem. She takes on this role and …show more content…
Early in the movie she organizes a women’s ' suffrage parade while the President is in town and a big crowd turns up like expected. What wasn’t expected though, was the crowd getting out of control and basically beating these women just for marching in a parade. Before the brutal physical attacks started, they had to endure verbal abuse. Men were yelling and ridiculing them and saying things like "hey what do you have underneath your skirt," implying that they weren 't acting ladylike and were acting like men.
It isn 't always easy being the leader especially when Alice is thrown in a women 's prison when she didn’t even commit a crime. She is told what to do and how to do it 24/7. It was like what being at home with a husband was like back in those days. When she is in jail, she goes on a hunger strike, literally refusing to eat for days until she is finally forced fed. I cannot even imagine how uncomfortable that must have

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    On September 16 at 7:30 in Williams Hall, I attended She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, one of the Southern Circuit Films touring this year. This film was mainly about the in depth history of the women’s movement. From failures to successes, this film included profound details of the movement. Mary Dore, the director of this film, did an excellent job compiling copious amount of interviews and footages from the women who initiated the movement.…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The film “Iron Jawed Angels” portrays the events that took place between 1912 and 1913 back when women still didn’t have the right to vote. The movie setting starts off in Philadelphia, where the two young activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns have a meeting with the two main leaders of NAWSA (National American Women Suffrage Association), Carrie Chapman and Anna Howard. The young suffragists urge the women of NAWSA to try and work on passing a constitutional amendment for women to have the right to vote, however, the older women of NAWSA are persistent on taking their own route to success, preferring a state-by-state approach. They then permit Paul and Burns to take over the NAWSA committee in Washington D.C. where they gather a parade to promote…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    During the Progressive Era, women began reforms to address issues in society, and one of the most prominent reform group was the National American Woman Suffrage Association. As president of the group, Carrie Chapman Catt actively campaigned for the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In the winter of 1917, she addressed the Congress about the proposed suffrage amendment (History.com). To urge the arrogant politicians to pass the women’s suffrage amendment to the Constitution, Catt not only induces fear and culpability, but the language she employs more importantly establishes herself as a credible individual by aligning with respected figures and emulating the politicians’ style of speech.…

    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Today, America is a place where freedom of speech, liberty and rights are all granted by laws; however, this was not always the case. Back in 1776, when the American revolution was beginning, independence and a democratic society were non existent. In the passage, “ Thinking Through the Past”, by John Hollitz, the main idea is focused on different events and laws that caused the American revolution. Several primary sources are displayed throughout the passage that help with the upbringing of the revolution. Britain was taking away many of the citizen’s rights and they finally wanted to be free.…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Before the 1960s women rights was a very sensitive topic. Women had no rights so there basically was no discussion. Women were expected to remain submissive and do only what they were told. The 1960s is when a union of women were formed and decided to take action to have equal rights not only for whites and blacks but for women as well. Shirley Chisholm was one of these women.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Megan Shu Shu 1 Ms. Thurtle English 1AS November 7, 2014 Susan B. Anthony’s Fight for Women’s Rights Susan B. Anthony stood at the door of the voting room, taking a look at the inside of the room. The room was grey, small, there were no windows, and only one way out. The room was full of people concentrating on filling out their ballots. As she walked in, everyone took a moment and looked at her strangely, wondering what a women was doing voting. She had prepared to vote a long time ago and she was to do so.…

    • 1118 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Flappers In 1920s

    • 1681 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Women in the 1920’s, also know as the Roaring Twenties, were viewed as citizens, but only when it came to certain areas. The men were looked at from the perspective of being at the top of the totem pole. And what they wanted, no one could disagree, especially the women. At the turn of the century, women had a limited role in most societies around the world. Their role has dramatically changed in the social area.…

    • 1681 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even after a long day of work women had to look nice for her husband, have dinner done and finish everything that needed done around the house. Women had limited rights, they were not able to do any hard labor jobs and some places did not hire married women. Women were allowed to vote.…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Easy Task Of Obeying

    • 1343 Words
    • 6 Pages

    It is no secret that society has a marginal perspective toward women and their abilities, questioning their capacity and intelligence. In the beginning of times, according to the Bible in the book of Genesis, God said “16 To the woman… “I will surely multiply your pain in child bearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” (ESV) “… He shall rule over you” (ESV) has marked demeanor towards woman.…

    • 1343 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Women Vs Women

    • 1721 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Unfortunately, these desires and dreams were often put on hold, seen as necessary for women to have. The necessities women were believed to need was food and shelter, while the men are the providers for the household. While women were expected to stay home, the expectations for men to support the house was tremendous. An idea that women were to get married, have children, and take care of household duties was a belief that coincides with this statement saying, “working class men argued for a ‘family wage’ that would make it possible for women to avoid wage work outside the home” (Who Built America?…

    • 1721 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    From the 1776 to 1876, nearly a century, women’s rights were slowly becoming key highlights in society. Prior to this, women were uneducated and remained in the home only being required to cook and care for the children while their husbands worked. However, once industrialization began, cities formed, and population skyrocketed, housing became more expensive, so the women had to work and help support the family financially. Then came the Second Great Awakening; women became inspired and realized that they were just as good as men and had the same abilities as them. With that, they went forth and sought out societal reforms.…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Women's Rights Dbq

    • 143 Words
    • 1 Pages

    In the nineteenth century, women and slaves had very little rights. Women were holding various movements to trying to gain rights for themselves. They were furious at that fact they were being denied many of the rights men had, solely based on their gender. Women would lose property once they got married, even it had been it their family for centuries. If they were working when they got married they had to quit their job to become a housewife.…

    • 143 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    From the construction of this nation, to becoming America, this nation has promoted three main concepts: liberty freedom and equality. The conspiracy between the founding concepts and the idea of who is granted these privileges was still to be determined in the following years to come. Since the creation of this nation, women were unprivileged as their natural rights were not taken into consideration. Women in the 1700’s were seen as strictly domestic housewives continuing with the perception that women belonged at home and men belong in the work force. For the most part, women were seen and treated as property.…

    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Overview The film Iron Jawed Angels, directed by Katja von Garnier is about the young female activists that led the women’s suffrage movement in the early 1900s. Women suffragist portrayed in the film are Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Doris Stevens, and Mabel Vernon. These women put their lives at risk for women to have equal rights, specifically to be able to vote. They were beaten, dragged, had trash and bottles thrown at them, and were called “he shes” for trying to exercise their constitutional right to vote.…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The movie Iron “Jawed Angels Katja” was directed by Katja von Garnier and its story revolves around a woman named Alice Paul. She believed that women should also have voting rights as do men have. The movie shows the plot and scenario of the early 20th century, specifically from 1912 to 1914. At that, women were not considered equal citizens to say the least. There had been many efforts and movements made by the women and human rights communities in the past, but they deservingly won the case when eventually government made the 19th amendment to allow women the voting rights.…

    • 727 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays