My Brown Wren

Jewelry and Mixed Media Art

votes for women

Being A Women Ain't Easy

enamel jewelry, votes for womenTammi SloanComment

In the late 1800's women started seeing that the cards were stacked against them.  There wasn't fair representation, fair wages or fair treatment in the workplace or at home.  Women started fighting back by demanding the right to vote.  They lobbied members of Congress, they staged rallies and parades, and they protested in great numbers.  All of this was disruptive to "civilized" male society, and men fought back, and they fought dirty.  They assaulted women protesters in an attempt to humiliate them.  They even jailed them in an attempt to quiet them.  Remember, during that time, women had no rights.  They worked longer hours than men and made 1/3 of the wages of men.  We've come a long way baby, but not far enough!

For the last couple of months I have been creating a series of Women's Suffrage jewelry to honor those women that fought so hard for our right to vote and for fair and humanitarian treatment.  Each piece is one-of-a-kind, enameled copper with sepia tone photographic images.  Each piece is a reminder of where we've been and where we could return if we continue to take our rights for granted.

I have been researching these women, their lives and their legacy.  I am grateful for all they have done to bring awareness to the inequities in society between men and women.  I fear we are heading back to that time with all of the new policy changes in our current administration.  It's important to me that women's equality become a reality, not just a dream.  This project is my way of raising awareness for the cause.