EileenSteed: Seneca Falls, New York

It's an interesting story, the fight for the rights of women. We all know that there was a time in our history when women could not vote, but that is just a part of the story. Before the 1848, Women's Rights convention in Seneca Falls, women were subjugated in society politically, economically and culturally. The Women's Rights National Historic Park provides an in-depth study of where women's rights were before the Declaration of Sentiments and how those hard fought ideas produced great strides towards emancipation from a male dominated society. Don't get me wrong, there were, and still are, many opportunities for improvement. Business is still dominated by men and parity in the C Suites (CEO, COO, CIO, CMO, etc.) is still a long way off. When will there be a female Chief Justice on the Supreme Court? A United States President?

Here are some of the injustices women suffered before legislation rectified the plight of women before the ladies of Seneca took the fight to the streets:

* A married woman didn't own her clothing, jewelry, home or any of her property even the land or goods she brought with her into her marriage.

* A woman could not divorce her husband. If he divorced her, she had no right to custody of her own children.

* Women could not attend college, nor work in areas outside of being a teacher, seamstress, domestic, or a mill worker. All her wages were owned by the male head of the household either her father, brother or husband.

* Women could not hold public offices, speak in public, be seated on a jury, make contracts, or sue in court.

In July 1848, Elizabeth Katy Stanton and Quaker abolitionists Mary Jane McClintock, Jane Hunt, Lucretia Mott and Martha Wright from Seneca Falls and Waterloo, New York, called forth a "Convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious conditions and rights of woman." Three hundred people attended. And out of that conference the Declaration of Sentiments was adopted and signed. The principles were taken from the Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal." Twelve days later, the second convention was held in Rochester. The suffrage movement was on the move.

In 1851, Stanton met Susan B. Anthony. Together they formed an activist team and used temperance and abolitionist meetings to bring to light women's issues. In 1860, they were able to pursue lawmakers to amend the Married Women's Property Act of New York thus allowing women the right to keep their earnings and inheritances, make contracts, sue in court and share custody of their children. In 1872, Anthony and her fellow protesters were arrested and fined for for voting. In 1875, the Supreme Court upheld the states rights to deny women the vote. Some states did pass laws allowing women to vote, but it wasn't until 1920, when the 19th amendment to the constitution was passed that all women enjoyed the right to vote in every state in the country. At the 1923 Seneca Falls convention, Alice Paul proposed the Equal Rights Amendment addressing issues not covered in the 19th amendment. Many states still did not allow women to sit on juries or hold political offices.

In 1963, the Equal Pay Act required that all federal employees be provided the right to equal compensation. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination in the workplace in regards to gender or race and establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission addressed any claims of discrimination. In 1966, Betty Friedan founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) which promoted child care for working mothers, abortion rights, and the Equal Rights Amendment for "full participation in the main stream of American society now." In 1972, Title IX was passed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded program or activity. Although the House and Senate passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, the amendment expired in 1982 just three states short of adoption. Some women were able to hold public office in their states when they succeed their husbands as governor, but it wasn't until 1974 that the first woman governor was elected in her own right. Ten years later, Geraldine Ferraro was nominated as Vice President. In 1992, more women ran and were elected to public office than ever before. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 amends the 1964 Civil Rights Pay Act and restores lawful remedies to help individuals subjected to longterm pay discrimination.

It is a long hard fought struggle. The women from Seneca Falls and beyond took a stand and fought for the privileges we enjoy today. Thanks to Elizabeth Katy Stanton, Lucretia and James Mott, Frederick Douglass, Mary Ann and Thomas McClintock, Martha Wright, Jane and Richard Hunt, Susan B. Anthony, and all the women and men through the years who have championed the rights of women. This has never been just a "woman's" issue it is a human rights endeavor fighting against injustice everywhere. This is not a United States issue, women around the world need the right to legislative remedies for injustices perpetrated against them. We all have a responsibility to ensure the future of equality.