“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” —Virginia Woolf, English writer
This quote reminds us of how women had to rise out of obscurity to claim a place in the political sphere.
This week, we would like you to research when women were given the right to vote in the UK. Find out why women did not have the same rights as men and tell us if you agree or disagree and why.
Representation of the People Act 1918
In 1918 the Representation of the People Act was passed which allowed women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification to vote. Although 8.5 million women met this criteria, it was only about two-thirds of the total population of women in the UK.
The same Act abolished property and other restrictions for men, and extended the vote to virtually all men over the age of 21. Additionally, men in the armed forces could vote from the age of 19. The electorate increased from eight to 21 million, but there was still huge inequality between women and men.
Equal Franchise Act 1928
It was not until the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 that women over 21 were able to vote and women finally achieved the same voting rights as men. This act increased the number of women eligible to vote to 15 million.
From Jing Porpoise class