Celebrating Women's History Month

As we celebrate Women’s History Month at Mellow Road CBD, it’s essential to recognize the profound impact of the Women’s Rights Movement on our society. Just as a few determined individuals can change the world, the courageous efforts of women throughout history have transformed the landscape of equality and justice.

From the historic Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to the present day, women have fought tirelessly for their rights, paving the way for future generations. As a female-owned operator, we are proud to honor the legacy of those who have championed women’s rights and continue to advocate for gender equality.

Join us in reflecting on the remarkable journey of the Women’s Rights Movement and celebrating the progress we have achieved together through Women’s History Month.

Women’s Rights Movement history

Never doubt that a few thoughtful, devoted folks can alter the world. The one thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead concluded that after seeing many civilizations worldwide over a lifetime. Her intuition has been confirmed throughout our nation’s progress. Living in religious freedom, having a voice in the government you support with your taxes, and not being enslaved for life.

Tea Revolutionizes

On July 13, 1848, the Women’s Rights Movement began. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a young mother and homemaker, was asked to tea with four women friends on that hot July day in upstate New York. Stanton vented her dissatisfaction with America’s new democracy’s constraints on women. Stanton’s pals heartily agreed. This was not the first small group of women to hold such a conversation, but it was the first to organize and execute a large-scale program.

Two days following their afternoon tea, this little group chose a convention date, and location, and made a short statement in the Seneca County Courier. They shared “A convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman.” The Seneca Falls Wesleyan Chapel hosted the assembly on July 19 and 20, 1848. Western civilization had never held a similar public meeting. There are a lot of amazing women to honor during Women’s History Month.

Drafting a “Declaration of Sentiments”

These patriotic women wanted to improve the new republic. They wanted to help the republic deliver better, equitable lives to its citizens. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote a “Declaration of Sentiments” based on the Declaration of Independence as the women prepared for the occasion. Stanton brilliantly linked the embryonic women’s rights movement to the great American symbol of liberty. “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Stanton carefully listed areas of life where women were mistreated in this Declaration of Sentiments. American revolutionary forefathers mentioned 18 grievances in their Declaration of Independence from England.

Stanton wrote, “The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of absolute tyranny over her. Let a candid world see facts to confirm this.” Then it went into specifics:

• Married women were legally dead in the eyes of the law

• Women were not allowed to vote

• Women had to submit to laws when they had no voice in their formation

• Married women had no property rights

• Husbands had legal power over and responsibility for their wives to the extent that they could imprison or beat them with impunity

• Divorce and child custody laws favored men, giving no rights to women

• Women had to pay property taxes although they had no representation in the levying of these taxes

• Most occupations were closed to women and when women did work they were paid only a fraction of what men earned

• Women were not allowed to enter professions such as medicine or law

• Women had no means to gain an education since no college or university would accept women students

• With only a few exceptions, women were not allowed to participate in the affairs of the church
• Women were robbed of their self-confidence and self-respect, and were made totally dependent on men

First Women’s Rights Convention

As anticipated, the convention met for two days, where the Declaration of Sentiments and 12 resolutions were unanimously approved, with a few revisions. The women’s enfranchisement resolution was the only one that failed. Many found it impossible for women to vote. Stanton’s longtime friend Lucretia Mott was astonished when he originally proposed the concept. The convention was rife with women’s vote debates.

The Movement Grows

Regular Women’s Rights Conventions were held from 1850 to the Civil War. Each 72-year campaign has thousands of political strategists, organizers, administrators, activists, and lobbyists. Women’s rights advocacy is a story of triumph over adversity, of clever and outrageous techniques to outwit opponents and maximize resources. This riveting tale follows exceptional women who overcome enormous odds to achieve the most basic American civil right—the vote.

After Voting Won

In 1920, the organized Women’s Rights Movement took numerous paths after winning the vote. The majority of women who marched, petitioned, and lobbied for women’s suffrage looked no further, but Alice Paul realized that the vote was only the beginning of the fight for women’s rights.

As the suffrage win approached in 1919, the National American Woman Suffrage Association became the League of Women Voters to ensure that women would utilize their newly earned vote properly.

The Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor was founded in 1920 to study women’s workplaces and push for changes. Many suffragists lobbied for laws to protect women workers from abuse and harmful conditions.

The next logical move was taken by National Woman’s Party leader Alice Paul in 1923. She wrote a US Constitutional Equal Rights Amendment. Some claimed that a federal law would guarantee “Men and women have equal rights throughout the United States.” A constitutional amendment would hold regardless of location.

Second Wave

Contrary to popular belief, the Women’s Rights Movement did not start in the 1960s. Several seemingly unrelated incidents in the 1960s sparked a second wave of action. Every event brought a different demographic into the cause.

First, Esther Peterson directed the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau in 1961. She believed the government should combat gender inequality. Kennedy appointed Eleanor Roosevelt to chair the Commission on the Status of Women. That commission’s 1963 report found gender discrimination in almost every aspect of American society. State and local governments immediately created women’s commissions.

Then: Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique in 1963. The Feminine Mystique came from a 20-year college reunion poll. She detailed the emotional and intellectual oppression middle-class educated women faced due to limited life possibilities.

Next, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act banned employment discrimination based on sex, race, religion, and national origin. As a final resort, “sex” was added to kill the bill. It passed, though. It created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate discrimination allegations. In its first five years, the commission received 50,000 sex discrimination complaints. However, the commission swiftly showed no interest in following these allegations. Betty Friedan, the chair of state Commissions on the Status of Women, and other feminists joined to create an NAACP-like women’s civil rights group. The National Organization for Women was founded in 1966.

Issues Arise

Topics debated at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention have advanced. Much of the conversation has moved beyond equal rights into problematic areas, especially among feminists. To name some:

• Reproductive rights for women. Twenty-five years after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the first two trimesters, the issue remains contentious.

• Enrollment of women in military academies and active combat. Are these nice?

• Women in religious worship leadership roles. Some find it controversial, others natural.

• Affirmative action. Can relief for past discrimination be justified? Do qualified women now have equal opportunities?

• The mother track. Should corporations accommodate women’s family duties or should women compete equally for progress with males, who have fewer family responsibilities?

• Pornography. Is it insulting or hazardous to women or just free speech?

• Sexual harassment. Where does flirting end and harassment begin?

• Surrogate motherhood. Can a woman freely hire her womb for this service?

• Equal distribution of Social Security benefits for homemakers and working spouses to protect widows from poverty.

Seven generations of women worked hard for women’s rights, and today’s women and girls are living them. The brave organizer who crafted the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, Alice Paul, stated, “I always feel the movement is sort of a mosaic. We each contribute a small stone, and the result is a beautiful mosaic.” Through collective action and tiny contributions to the larger mosaic, women have increased their rights nonviolently from powerlessness. This courageous heritage gives us something to appreciate on the 150th anniversary of the Women’s Rights Movement.

Women’s History Month Inspires

Women’s History Month, celebrated annually in March, commemorates the vital role women have played throughout history and recognizes their contributions to society, culture, and the world. It’s a time to honor the courage, resilience, and achievements of women who have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and paved the way for future generations. From the suffragettes who fought for women’s right to vote to the trailblazers in science, politics, literature, and the arts.

Women’s History Month serves as a reminder of the progress made and the ongoing journey toward gender equality and empowerment. It’s a time for reflection, celebration, and a call to action to ensure that the voices and stories of women from all walks of life are heard, valued, and respected.

Mellow Road CBD- A Leader in the female-owned CBD Space

In conclusion, as leaders in the female-owned CBD space, Mellow Road CBD is committed to empowering women and promoting gender equality. Through our range of high-quality CBD products, we strive to not only enhance the wellness of our customers but also contribute to the advancement of women’s rights and representation in the industry.

As we commemorate Women’s History Month, let us continue to honor the trailblazing women who have shaped history and inspire future generations to create positive change.