Describe the Ways In Which the Methods of the Suffragists and Suffragettes Were Different

Another way their methods differed was that the suffragettes often went on hunger strikes to promote their cause. The first woman to go on hunger strike was Marion Wallace Dunlop. She did this of her own free will but it soon caught on and suffragettes in prison would go on hunger strikes so that they’d be released. However, this did not work as the government brought in the cat and mouse act which let the suffragettes be let out of prison until they had recovered slightly, when they were re-arrested. However, there are very few recorded incidences of suffragists going on hunger strike.

There were also a few rare incidents where suffragettes were prepared to commit suicide for their beliefs. Emily Davison was a suffragette who, by June 1913, had already been in prison nine times for her contribution to the women’s suffrage movement. On the 5th of June 1913 she stepped out in front of the king’s horse as it was running the Derby. A hoof caught her head and she died soon after. Even though this event had not been planned officially by the WSPU and was Emily’s own idea, the suffragettes got a vast amount of publicity out of her death. The suffragists would never have dreamed of doing anything so radical to promote their cause.

Another way in which their methods were different was that the suffragists held public meetings and sent out fliers to further their campaign. For example, they organised a peaceful demonstration in central London in 1908 where over 13,000 women paraded through town. The suffragettes did this too, but they concentrated more on their violent campaigns.

The methods of the suffragists and suffragettes were essentially different because the suffragettes used violence whereas the suffragists preferred not to.

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