Who does the term 'suffragettes' specifically refer to?

The term "suffragettes" is deeply rooted in the history of women's fight for the right to vote, a movement known as women's suffrage. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women in Britain were denied the same political rights as men, including the right to vote. Various groups campaigned for change, but the term "suffragettes" specifically refers to members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst. Unlike other groups who adopted more peaceful tactics, the suffragettes were known for their direct action and sometimes militant methods, such as protests, hunger strikes, and even acts of civil disobedience, to draw attention to their cause. While the broader suffrage movement included both men and women advocating for voting rights, the term "suffragettes" is exclusively associated with the women who actively campaigned, often at great personal risk, for women's suffrage. So, while men may have supported the cause, the term itself is intrinsically linked to the women who fought for it.