With whom is the term 'suffragettes' essentially connected?
The term "suffragettes" is intrinsically linked to the women's suffrage movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was a period of intense activism focused on gaining women the right to vote, a right largely denied to them at the time. The suffragettes, primarily in Britain, were known for their more militant tactics compared to the suffragists, who advocated for peaceful persuasion. The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, was a leading suffragette organization. Their actions, which included demonstrations, civil disobedience, and sometimes even property damage, brought significant attention to the cause. While men certainly played supporting roles in the broader suffrage movement, and children were sometimes involved in demonstrations, the term "suffragettes" specifically denotes the women who were at the forefront of fighting for their own enfranchisement. The movement eventually led to women gaining limited voting rights in 1918 and full equal voting rights with men in 1928.
Think about the pioneer campaigners for women's right to vote.