What were members of the first Women's Social and Political Union group commonly known as?

The early 20th century was a period of intense social and political change in Britain, particularly concerning women's rights. Before 1918, women were largely excluded from voting in parliamentary elections, which led to the rise of various suffrage movements. The Women's Social and Political Union, founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, adopted more radical and militant tactics to fight for women's suffrage. Members of this group became widely known as "suffragettes." The term "suffragette" was initially used derisively by a newspaper, but the women embraced it. They distinguished themselves from "suffragists," who employed more peaceful and constitutional methods. The suffragettes engaged in activities like protests, civil disobedience, and even acts of vandalism to draw attention to their cause. Their activism played a crucial role in shifting public opinion and eventually leading to the Representation of the People Act 1918, which granted some women the right to vote. So, when you think of the women fighting for the right to vote in the early 1900s, remember the suffragettes and their impactful, sometimes controversial, methods.