A right I too often take for granted was won for me 95 years ago today as a result of a brave and exhausting battle when the Constitution of the United States was ratified, allowing women the right to vote.
I wonder if perhaps the women (and men) who demanded that women receive the right to vote would actually be happy with us growing content with it; forgetting it exists because it's so common and expected that we rarely think about it, if we ever do.
But, I know that's simply not true.
These activists gave up so much time and energy for me to have something I take for granted. And not only that, they didn't fight for me to be able to just mindlessly fill in a bubble and put on a sticker. They fought so I could have a voice and make an impact on my community and country by taking a stand and being heard.
Today, I've been a mix of grateful and ashamed. Grateful for the sacrifices of women who came before me. Ashamed because they thought more of my voice than I do.
Regardless of my history of selective apathy in this regard, reflecting on this has me nearly in tears at this moment. I can only hope that I will one day appreciate my right to be heard as much as the women who fought for it did.
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Post by Tori Long
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