Also because of the violence carried out by the WSPU people could perhaps feel more respect for women, as they were so brave as to carry out violence even when they knew that they would be punished.
The WSPU also gained more respect from others when the First World War broke out. The organisation agreed that during the war they would carry out no violence and that they would help with the war effort. The government, knowing this, released WSPU prisoners on the understanding that violence would cease. The suffragettes weren’t the only women to decide to help during the war though. By the end of the war about one million more women were at work than had been in the summer of 1914. Most of them were taking jobs previously done by men who were in the armed forces. The large number of working-class women was nothing new; such women had always gone out to work. But for the first time middle-class women earning a living became highly visible. Women from all social classes helped the war effort by doing jobs such as heaving coal, portering, labouring in the fields and working in munitions factories. An enormous range of semi-skilled and labouring jobs was taken up by women, who previously would not have been allowed or considered themselves able to do such work. By the end of the war, women had demonstrated that they were not weak, frail, unintelligent creatures. They had helped to win the war, and at the same time, overturned society’s views about men’s and women’s roles. This effort towards the war by women played a vital role in the changing of attitudes towards women.
Also because of the Great War comes the next point. Because of World War One and women’s war work, the Government decided to show some approval to the women as their efforts had meant so much in the war. They therefore influenced the media to write encouraging and supporting things about women. Because so many people read the newspapers the effect of this was massive. Because the media wrote good things about women all kinds of different people changed their thoughts about the matter.
However, the media didn’t just write good things about women. Because of the extent of the suffragette violence, many people found themselves reading about it in the newspapers. Very often, the articles written were not good, and although some people may have thought that the media was being harsh on women and therefore creating some sympathy towards them, the majority went along with the ideas of the government about the WSPU and therefore women. However, this publicity did make some people realise that women weren’t incapable of most things as they were attracting attention to their unjust treatment and succeeding in attracting people’s attention to the matter at hand. This in effect changed people’s attitudes towards women.
Because of all the good things written about them in the newspapers, women became more confident and assertive. They therefore took more opportunities to take jobs that were previously considered as men’s jobs and to do things that they would never have done before. They did this because they felt that perhaps they would be taken more seriously and indeed in many cases they were. People could see that women were not incapable of men’s jobs and this created a stronger sense of equality towards them from others.
An example as to how women becoming more confident and assertive changed the attitudes towards women was Derby Day, Thursday, 4th June, 1913. A suffragist, Emily Wilding Davison, born October 11th 1872, ran in front of the King’s horse, Anmer, as the racers rounded Tattenham corner. The jockey was Jones, and hitting Emily was unavoidable. She was ridden down, the horse turned a complete somersault and landed on its rider. She died four days later without once having recovered consciousness. Evidence strongly suggests that this tragedy was not accidental but in fact Emily just wanted to show people the importance of the suffrage for women and to create more sympathy them. It worked as many people’s views were changed towards women as they felt that if someone had felt so strongly about it to take their own life, then perhaps they should think about it too. An extract from The Times, Thursday 5th June, shows how people felt about it:
“The desperate act of a woman who rushed from the rails on to the course, as the horses swept round Tattenham Corner, apparently from some mad notion that she could spoil the race, will impress the general public more perhaps, than the disqualification of the winner.”
Another extract from the same article suggests that the accident didn’t just change attitudes for the best. (This extract also displays the effect of the media for changing people’s attitudes towards women).
“They say that persons who wantonly destroy property and endanger lives must be either desperately wicked or entirely unbalanced. They are gradually coming to the conclusion that many of the militant Suffragettes are not altogether responsible for their acts. The growth of that belief will not improve the prospects of woman suffrage. The bulk of the Suffragist Party and of their leaders are doubtless conscious of this truth. They seem, however, to be quite unable…to prevent crimes, the utter insanity of which, as a means of political propaganda is even more striking than their wickedness. We are much mistaken if yesterday’s exhibition does not do more hurt to the cause of women suffrage…”
I think that the main reason for the changing of attitudes towards women was women’s war work. If it hadn’t of been for that, then I feel that the suffragettes would of got only a small privilege, if one at all. Women’s war work suggested to men that women could do men’s jobs and women gained much respect from that suggestion. However, all of the reasons I have listed have played a big part in the changing of attitudes towards women. They all proved that women are equal to men, and deserve the respect and lifestyle to match that equality. If it wasn’t for any of the above things, then women would almost certainly not be where they are in today’s society.
Bibliography:
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The Changing Role of Women 1815-1914 - Paula Bartley
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Votes for Women - Diane Atkinson
