Feminist Movement: The Declaration Of Sentiments By Cady Stanton

Women have lived under suppression since the beginning of America. They have been denied basic rights, forced into to predetermined roles in society, and faced severe sexism. Although some men worked with the feminist movement, Cady Stanton said, “that women herself must do this work; for woman alone can understand the height, the depth, the length and the breadth of her degradation (Kelly, Parameswaran, & Schiedewind, 2012, p. 556).” Feminism does not focus on those who opposed them, but the women and the movements that changed the lives of women both in the present and those who helped set the stage for later women to continue the fight for equality.

Seneca Falls is used as a historical mark to mark the beginning of the feminist movement
as it was the first organized gathering promoting what is now known as the first wave of feminism (Kelly el al. , 2012, p. 564). Sojourner Truth took the stage in one of the most famous speeches in the world of feminism. She challenged the stereotypes placed on women and become one of the leading voices for women. As an emancipated slave, she faced even more hardships then white women did but she still fought alongside them.

First wave feminism was mainly focused on a couple fundamental issues of which, women’s suffrage was the leading topic. During the first wave of feminism, women were denied the right to vote and were forced to abide by the political beliefs of their male counterparts (Kelly et al. , 2012, p. 558,562). African American women faced an even greater challenge in the fight for women’s suffrage, as their white counterparts were willing to promote white supremacy in order to further the feminist cause (Kelly et al., 2012, p. 557). Black women not only had to fight for women’s rights, but also had to do so while fighting racism. Women finally won the right to vote by the passing of the 19th amendment in 1920, marking one of the biggest wins for the feminist movement (Kelly et al., p.557). Although it was a great win for the feminist movement, black women did not quite feel as if it was a win. African American women would have to wait another forty years before they would be allowed to exercise their right to vote.

Like black women, lower class whites were also left out of a many of the benefits that the feminist movement won. Upper class white women were the major beneficiaries, especially at the beginning. Blacks and lower class whites would benefit from the early efforts, but would not reap those benefits until much later. Black women were still fighting slavery and their right to person hood during the first wave of feminism and faced many more challenges in attempting to gaining rights.

Furthermore, another topic featured during the first wave of feminism was the rights of the working women. Throughout history, women have been doomed to homemaking and child rearing. Women of the first wave of feminism fought for the right to have careers and work as men did. Like many issues in the early feminist movement, the issue of the working women is still being fought for today in the form of equal pay and opportunity for women. Women were thought of as week and unworthy of careers. Sojourner Truth spoke about her ability to do anything a man can do in her speech “Ain’t I a women”(Kelly et al., 2012, 564). The courageous women of the first wave knew they were capable of more and wanted the right to prove it. They wanted to prove that they were not delicate beings only capable of housework.

Another thing the convention at Seneca Falls produced was the Declaration of Sentiments.
The Declaration of Sentiments was a document closely tied to the Declaration of Independence (Halsall, 1997). It used almost identical language and words, but spoke to women’s right. It stated that women should be provided with all the rights that men were awarded through the singing of the Declaration of Independence. Elizabeth Cody Stanton was one of the founders of the document and produced it as a cry for women to have equal rights as men. During the convention, sixty-eight women and two men signed the document. The first wave was just the beginning and would quickly gain strength and power due to the strong women who led the movement.

During the first wave of feminism many men opposed the movement. If I had been present, I honestly do not know how I would have acted. I possibly would have fought to maintain the status quo and not seen the benefit of women participating in society. After living in this day and age, I would definitely have fought with the women of the first wave. What women contribute to society is far greater than any man during the first wave could have anticipated. Women continue to do great things in furthering society, and I hope I would have taken part in helping women gain the rights they
deserve. Several other topics were certainly present during the first wave and several other movements were just beginning. Women’s suffrage was the foremost issue and with it came many hardships associated with starting a national movement. Women faced severe persecution from men who controlled their lives, as well as the black women who had different battles to fight. Resilience is a valuable trait to have and the women of the first wave of feminism certainly had resilience and perseverance. They faced opposition and setbacks, but were able to fight through them and make a difference that today’s women still benefit from.