Character:
The other day I was hanging out with my lady friends and my good friend Gracie privately told me about a women's union group that was forming called the National Woman's Temperance Union. She thought I would be the perfect for and invited me to one of their meetings in which they handed out this large text explaining their movements and their famous White Ribbon Ceremony. Their current issue at hand is focusing on the temperance movement and although my personal opinions of such are still debatable, I’m highly interested in their political aspirations. As it seems, they also are strong believers of women's suffrage, with their text stating "women must be emancipated, they must be given the right to vote" (The White Ribbon Signal, 1980-1988). Likewise, I’ve long held the belief women should also hold a voice in our government, giving them the right to vote will place us as equal to our male counterparts and open up the long held closed mindsets of the day.
Moving on, it seems the group has successfully gained national attention and chapters are opening up worldwide. I think it would be in my best interest to check them out as being a part of a group with spotlight will help to later push more progressive agendas. Gracie says that most of the guidelines set are based off christian values and thus I think I could manage to convince my father that its a religious type of group. Lord would know what he may really say or think if he was to find out about their political strength.
Editor: The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, was a group of social reform whom ""linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far-reaching reform strategies based on applied Christianity" (Tyrrell). Although their main focus was towards the temperance movement and the prohibition of alcohol, they also had feminist ideals that pushed the voice of women in politics. The organization was a prominent group who was able to influence the passing of the 18th amendment in America. For a young female interested in political and social change such as our character, this group would have allowed her drip her feet into the realm of rallies, reforms and marches. With its christian based standards, it would have been a group accepted amongst society and not highly criticized of. Our character mentioned her fear of her father's restrictions and his ability to shun her from involvement in such actions, however, with its religious ties, she could have had the ability to excuse their actions with their push for a more moral society. Our character was a young author whom had the privilege of been raised in a fairly wealthy environment. Through simple everyday tasks and volunteer work she was truly able to see the areas most needing social reform, and thus began her interest in politics. Through joining the NWCTU, she would have gained not only experience but also contacts on what it took to rally up for a movement or embark true political change as a woman in the Victorian time period.
Citations:
Feb 1980 - Jan 1988. [The White Ribbon Signal, 1980-1988]. Pg (3-5). Melbourne. Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Victoria. Gender: Identity and Social ChangeAvailable through: Adam Matthew, Marlborough, Gender: Identity and Social Change, http://www.genderidentityandsocialchange.amdigital.co.uk.proxy-remote.g… [Accessed November 24, 2020].
Tyrrell, Ian (1991). Woman's World/Woman's Empire: The Woman's Christian Temperance Union in International Perspective 1880-1930. Chapel Hill and London: The University of Carolina Press. p. 2.
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