Suffragette History

Imagine if the Famous Five*, Susan B. Anthony**, Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst*** and the suffrage movement had had access to the consumer power that women of today have ... 80% of national consumer power! Now imagine if those 80% and the men who believe in gender equality organized that economic leverage as one grassroots network. Imagine the lobbying power. And it really can be done ... with your help.

*The Famous Five or The Valiant Five were five Canadian women who, in 1929 asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, “Are women persons?” The case came to be known as the Persons Case. Specifically the question was whether Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, included the possibility of women becoming senators: “The Governor General shall… summon qualified Persons to the Senate; and ... every Person so summoned shall become and be a Member of the Senate and a Senator.” (Listen to action poet, Sheri-D Wilson’s tribute to the Famous Five who are commemorated on Canada’s 50-dollar bill!)

**Susan B. Anthony fought for Women’s Rights in the United States, including the right to control property and helped spearhead adoption of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

***Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst founded the Women’s Political and Social Union (WPSU) in the UK in 1903 to press for franchise for women and successfully gained it in 1918.