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My Complicated Feelings After Seeing “Sufragette”
The powerful 2015 film has some important lessons for us
“Sufragette” is a powerful 2015 film, starring Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep among others. It tells the story of the movement to get votes for women in early 20th century, and the heroines of that movement — Emmeline Pankhurst among them. As we look to November 2020, it’s worth revisiting the idea of electoral justice — and fighting to see it come to pass.
Here are some of my feelings after seeing “Sufragette”.
Shame
At my country for so long trying to silence these women, and doing it in the most brutal, most punishing, most dehumanising of ways.
Pride
Also at my country for sparking this so-important, worldwide movement, from which I and countless others have reaped untold benefits all our lives.
Guilt
I know I wouldn’t have been brave enough to fight with them. I would have been heartbroken by their plight and appalled at the injustice; I would have prayed, perhaps long and hard, maybe even fasted. But I don’t think I would have had the courage to face even arrest, never mind jail. Never mind a hunger strike.
