Iron Jawed Angels

For this post I want to focus on the character in the movie that I thought had an important, yet understated role. The fictional character of the senator's wife, Emily Leighton, challenged a variety of stereotypes that still exist about feminism today. First, she highlighted a group of women who during that time wanted to speak out, but felt it either unnecessary or improper for them to do so. Her comfortable life and happy marriage as well as her husband's career made her political opinions seem irrelevant. I think a major part of the Suffrage Movement was getting women like Emily Leighton out of their comfort zone and thinking about how much better/significant their lives could be. This character shows that women of all social standings were and are still valuable assets to the feminist movement. She had all the money available to her that she could possibly need, yet it wasn't hers. Her rights to that money were non-existent and she as much as the women working in sweat shops deserved the right to manage her own finances. Also, the common stereotype that feminists can't be nurturing mothers was put on the chopping block by Senator Leighton's wife. As she clearly stated in the movie, she was acting out for all women on behalf of the daughters she was raising. She found self confidence in the Women's Suffrage Movement as well as self respect. If anything, this movie really made it clear to me how diverse the Movement really way. Women from all walks of life were coming together for a common cause and Iron Jawed Angels definitely opened my eyes to how grateful women today should be for their unwavering efforts.