Today marks 100 years since the 19th Amendment was officially certified to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing American womxn the right to vote. Even though the very first bill was introduced in 1878, it was rejected and continued to be reintroduced and rejected every year for 41 years. (Seriously?!) A version of the bill finally passed in 1920, and while this moment undeniably moved the needle in the right direction, it’s passing most directly benefited white women.  

Jim Crow kept many black voters out of the polls well into the 1960’s with their “literacy” tests. 

Asian Americans were denied American citizenship and because of this, couldn’t vote until the early 1950’s.  

Native Americans were also barred from voting as recent as 1948 because of certain state laws.  

It wasn’t until 1965, when the Voting Rights Act passed, that universal suffrage was a guaranteed right for all Americans. While in theory today everyone has the right to vote, it’s important that we reflect that systematic barriers remain in place that prevent many men and womxn from readily having access and the ability to cast a ballot.  

Today is an important reminder of how far as a country that we’ve come, but also how far we have to go in the fight against misogyny and the patriarch.  

WLDKAT stands with all womxn in the fight for equal human rights on Womxn’s Equality Day and beyond.  

So today please put your energy towards supporting your local girl gang. Buy from brands who are founded by womxn or do great things to support womxn.  Reach out to your mom, sister, best friend and any other special womxn in your life and support their voice.