The Role Of Sex In The 15th Amendment
As a group I believe we should include the word sex in the 15th amendment. If the states really wanted to get rid of the ugly institution of slavery, they also had to consider women as being slaves of that same institution. The mere fact that they were denied basic rights on the grounds of sex, implies that women were seen as lower status, and were expected to follow the rules set by men. Sojourner Truth, argues that the only way for slavery to be truly destroyed is for women to be able to vote; she also seems to be bothered by the fact that no one is talking about black women not getting their right to vote, when they too work as hard as any man.
The fact that most people believed that it was inappropriate for women to be engaged in public
or political activism, adds to the need to include the word sex in the amendment to make sure that everyone would be allowed to vote. How did they expect to end slavery, when women were not being fully recognized as citizens? It was definitely a time of opportunity, in which women had to make their move and advocate for equal rights for men and women. After being asked to leave an Anti-Slavery Convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton knew that something had to be done, if not the opportunity would be lost. Because they neglected to add the word sex into the15th amendment, it took women fifty years to gain their right to vote. Frederick Douglass, argues that it’s far more important to give “the negro the right to vote, because it is with us a matter of life and death, and therefore cannot be postponed.” I do sympathise with Douglass, in his argument that blacks are in danger and that giving them the right to vote cannot be prolonged anymore; they need to be able to protect themselves and their property. But he fails to acknowledge that black women are also at danger, and they too deserve the right to vote. His reasoning for not advocating to women's rights is that government loves them. But does that love apply to black women? Most likely it did not. Sojourner make a very good argument when she says, “you see the colored men will be masters over the women, and it will be just as bad as it was before.” In truth, the 15th amendment did nothing to improve the conditions of black women, they just went from a white master to a black one.
The fact that most people believed that it was inappropriate for women to be engaged in public
or political activism, adds to the need to include the word sex in the amendment to make sure that everyone would be allowed to vote. How did they expect to end slavery, when women were not being fully recognized as citizens? It was definitely a time of opportunity, in which women had to make their move and advocate for equal rights for men and women. After being asked to leave an Anti-Slavery Convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton knew that something had to be done, if not the opportunity would be lost. Because they neglected to add the word sex into the15th amendment, it took women fifty years to gain their right to vote. Frederick Douglass, argues that it’s far more important to give “the negro the right to vote, because it is with us a matter of life and death, and therefore cannot be postponed.” I do sympathise with Douglass, in his argument that blacks are in danger and that giving them the right to vote cannot be prolonged anymore; they need to be able to protect themselves and their property. But he fails to acknowledge that black women are also at danger, and they too deserve the right to vote. His reasoning for not advocating to women's rights is that government loves them. But does that love apply to black women? Most likely it did not. Sojourner make a very good argument when she says, “you see the colored men will be masters over the women, and it will be just as bad as it was before.” In truth, the 15th amendment did nothing to improve the conditions of black women, they just went from a white master to a black one.