Question for parents with daughters?

Question

How important do you feel it is to explain woman suffrage to your daughters? Do you think it still has its place in 2009?
I've noticed a lot of young woman take for granted a lot of the "rights" we as woman have today and I'm curious if they know about how we got those rights and what it was like before. Or is that something that you don't think is that important?
Strictly a curiosity question.

Answer 1

It's good for kids to know as much history as possible.



Civil rights issues never end, so the more they know about what came before and why, the more they'll be able to handle issues as they come up in the future.



Women's suffrage has come up naturally in conversations regarding the Susan B Anthony dollar, in our home. Also, around election time we've had discussions regarding the right to vote for women and for black people, along with discussions of disenfranchisement that continues today - in our country and in others.



And, of course, whenever we rent the Schoolhouse Rock 'History' video from the library, we all run around singing the "Sufferin' til Suffrage" song :-)

Answer 2

My daughter is 6 and has started to show an interest in the American Girl stories which I collected when I was younger and have given to her. Some of the girls deal directly with that time frame in history and so we've discussed it on very broad terms. She understands that there was a time when little girls couldn't play sports (like she does) or that Amelia Earhardt (who she is learning about in school this week) was special because she was the first woman to go try to fly around the world (also the first person to attempt it by following the equator).



Woman's suffrage is just as important now as it was 100 years ago. And as the saying goes "those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it."

Answer 3

I think I will let my daughter know about the glass ceiling effect mostly and of course, speak to her about women's rights cases like Roe vs. Wade.



I am in the Business field and have on times been treated like real dirt by male bosses and colleagues. I have been turned down for promotions and asked if I were going to have more kids, etc. (gasp)

I have three degrees in my field and have been turned down for positions only for a man to get the job with less experience and education. Glass ceiling is still very evident BUT I hope that when she is a woman it will not be an issue. She is only 4 months so there is a lot of time for improvement.



GOOD QUESTION.

Answer 4

Well my daughter is only five, but just recently she asked me why she had the day off from school on Martin Luther King Day so I explained who he was and what all he did to gain rights for African Americans. She seemed really curious. Naturally, I didn't tell her about lynch mobs or anything like that because she is only five.



I know that's not directly related to women's suffrage, but I do plan on telling her about it at some point and explaining that as women we weren't always allowed to dress the way we do now, and we certainly weren't allowed to have careers like being a doctor, lawyer, businesswoman, or police officer.



I do think it's important to remind all our children, not just our daughters, that women endured some awful things in order to have the rights we have no. I'm not talking about things like the bra burnings in the 60s, but the protests in the 20s that had several women beaten and thrown in jail without medical attention, food, or water.



Good question, by the way.

Answer 5

I think its important to kids to know how life was before and how it still is for some people. My daughter is too young still ( 18 mos) but I tell my son (5) how he is very fortunate to have two parents and a house and food etc because not all kids have those things so I guess when my girl grows a little I 'll add some womens rights into the list :)

Answer 6

very important: to talk about with my girls and my boys.



as with all history, it's important because it helps us understand where we are now: why, for example, that it was a big deal for Hillary Clinton to get so far in her presidential run; why women's pay for equal work remains lower than men's in this country; why virtually every leader or important historical figure kids will read about in their history classes is male (and why girls should not assume from that that women are incapable of great achievements); why there are continuing debates about working mothers when nobody debates the appropriateness of being a working father; what happens in countries where women still can't become educated or participate in the political process; and so on. and much of literature and other art forms would be pretty incomprehensible if kids were under the misimpression that women have always received equal treatment with men.



and more than that, it's important that our kids see the model that when a law is in place that is unfair, it's possible for people to work together and change it for the better.

Answer 7

I haven't actually talked about it A LOT or anything with my oldest daughter but we have talked about the turning points in history (when women fought for voting rights, when women started climbing career ladders etc). My grandmother has talked to my girls about the looks she got when she came to the south , wearing bluejeans and high heels (and how that wasn't really acceptable in the south at that time, for women).

I don't think my girls really get it.

I think feminism is double edged sword. In the best sense, we now have rights that we didn't always have. On the other hand, I think some women feel guilty (or at least I do sometimes) for not using all those rights that it took forever to get.

Answer 8

I think teaching our daughters about womens suffarge is very important. Equally important is instilling a knowledge that it is ok to be a home maker or a working woman. That a man is not needed to fulfill your life.

Answer 9

I think i will depend on y daughter when she's older and what she wants to do. For me women's rights don't play much part in my life. I am a stay at home mom, I cook and clean and my husband pays the bills. I get a credit card and I buy what we need and he makes the major financial decisions. I am happy with that, and it works for our family. But if my daughter wants to be president I want the rights to be in place for her to be able to do that too. Im just glad that I have the right to chose how I want to use my rights, even if that means not at all.

Answer 10

I think it is important to tell your girls, about woman suffrage. But I would tell them when they are a preteen or teen, a age where they will understand. But I would not want my daughter to be come a diehard feminist, no offense to feminist, I just havea friend who can be a little crazy about womans rights, and she can be a but annoying. But I think it is important that we empower are daughter to be strong women.

Answer 11

Yes, it's a very important part of history, I full intend to explain and discuss with her at varying ages. I haven't lost hope for a female president either, maybe next time :)

Answer 12

I think it is proper to talk to them about when they are of a good age to do so.



You know this is funny. When Obama and Clinton were running for the primary, i always told people that history has a way of repeating its self. Blacks were given a right to vote before women were, and i figured we would have a black president before we would have a woman one. (I know obama is only half, but was "treated" as black and also views himself as black)

Answer 13

It depends on your child's age but I would for sure. I started talking to my girls when they each reached the age of 8 yrs old and I tell them what women rights and that we can do anything a man can do and for people not to tell them anything differently and for them to step up and say "Listen, I can do anything I want in my life and if you don't like it, there's the back door, get out!!"...lol

Answer 14

My 14 year old is aware of this and we talk about it. But what USED to be is not what we focus on. I try more to get her to focus on what she can do now or in her future. It is important to know where we come from but much more important to know where are are and where we are going.

Answer 15

I think it is terrible to teach our daughters to make excuses and expect people to treat them badly because of sex... same thing with racial issues. We need to make good with what we have, she will learn enough negativity from the school system.

Answer 16

I think it depends on how old your daughter is. If you think it is necessary for yo to do it, well go ahead and do so, You can open up to her and she can open up to you, that is a great bonding!

Answer 17

I think they my daughters will learn enough about it in school, just like I did-