I got myself a wonderful tartan scarf in the suffragette colours this week. I was inspired by the woman who was ejected from Scottish parliament for wearing a scarf in the Suffragette’s colours. Scottish parliament later apologised claiming it was a mistake but by then scarfgate had taken off and these lovely scarves have since sold out. It’s all a bit silly really but is representative of the gradual erosion of women’s rights in many parts of the world, including Scotland.
What a lovely colour combination the suffragettes chose: green, white, violet – Give Women Votes. The Ministry of Tartan registered this tartan in 2018 and sell it on their website as a scarf or shawl. I’m feeling very Scottish tonight with my tartan scarf, a dram of whisky, and haggis in the oven for tea.
I sometimes wonder whether, had I lived 100 years ago, would I have supported women’s right to vote? I hope so but I guess I’ll never know. There were women at the time who inexplicably fought against their own right to vote. It’s hard to imagine why someone would do that.
The right to vote was a major victory for women in the western world but it’s dwarfed by what’s happening to women now, today, in Iran. They are being brutally raped and murdered for refusing to wear a veil. As a woman and a feminist who is forever grateful to the suffragettes of the past I stand in solidarity with the women of Iran. Keep fighting the good fight. Never give up. This will be your legacy and your descendants will be eternally in your debt.
rachel.blog 
[…] I was pondering on my blog whether any of my ancestors were suffragettes. My mother-in-law told me that one of her ancestors was a signatory on the women’s suffrage […]
I really do abhor prejudices of all kinds, which are usually aimed at minorities. But I am incandescent at the prejudices that are ingrained in bloody everything against 50% of the world’s population. I know I’ve been part of the problem (male in privileged job etc) but the more I hear about how absolutely every aspect of life is geared, if not against women, then treating them as, in effect, small men grinds my gears. There’s a fab book – have I mentioned this before – called Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez that should be required reading in all schools, especially by the boys. It’s men we have to change. Like me.
I thought I had replied to this sorry but my comment isn’t here! It was just to say I have heard of that book. It’s famous. I’ve never read it though – I’ll add it to my list.
It’s not just the mindset towards women but anyone really with less power – children, animals. Humans excel at it. Women have made a lot of progress in some parts of the world but we’re adults and we can speak yet it has still taken hundreds of years and we’ve still got some way to go. I’m not sure what the solution is.
I often think the most disadvantaged group are those with disabilities. We’ve a long way to go but at least we are moving in the right direction.
Yes I think that’s probably true. Of humans anyway. I think animals are the most abused group of living things but of humans then I agree it’s the disabled.
Well plants have it worse but I get the point. I was being sentientist in my thinking…
Animals are sentient aren’t they? Plants are not.
Yes, unless you believe a couple of odd sounding sources.