The spelling of the phrase "women suffrages" contains a common error - the correct spelling is "women's suffrage." The first part of the phrase, "women," is pronounced /ˈwɪmɪn/ in IPA transcription. The apostrophe and 's' at the end of "women's" indicate that the following word, "suffrage," is possessive. The word "suffrage" is pronounced /ˈsʌfrɪdʒ/ in IPA transcription and refers to the right to vote. Women's suffrage was a movement that fought for women's right to participate in political elections on an equal basis with men.
Women suffrage refers to the political movement that emerged during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, advocating for women's right to vote and participate in political decision-making. This movement aimed to achieve universal suffrage, which refers to the extension of voting rights without gender discrimination.
The campaign for women suffrage marked an important step towards gender equality and women's liberation from societal norms that restricted their participation in public life. It sought to challenge the prevailing social order that limited women's roles primarily to the domestic sphere while excluding them from important political processes.
Women suffrage encompassed multiple strategies including lobbying, organizing protests, and engaging in civil disobedience. Prominent suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Emmeline Pankhurst played pivotal roles in advocating for women's right to vote. Their efforts, along with those of countless others, contributed to significant legal reforms and constitutional amendments in numerous countries worldwide.
Over time, the women suffrage movement achieved significant victories, leading to the enfranchisement of women in different nations. The movement symbolized a critical milestone in the struggle for gender equality and serves as an example of successful nonviolent collective action. It empowered women to exercise their political rights, enabling them to participate in decision-making processes, contribute to public discourse, and ultimately shape the societies they live in.
The word "suffrage" comes from the Latin term "suffragium", which originally meant "a voting tablet" or "a voting procedure". It was derived from the verb "sufferre", which means "to support" or "to bear". In English, the term "suffrage" evolved to refer to the right to vote or the exercise of that right.
The word "women" refers to the adult human females.
When combined, "women suffrages" simply refers to the right to vote or the movement advocating for women's right to vote.