So, women who changed politics by voting? Man, they’re my heroes. I’m sitting here in my cramped apartment in Philly, my coffee table buried under junk mail and a sad-looking plant I swear I’ll water tomorrow. I voted last week, right, and I legit tripped over my own feet walking into the polling place—almost ate pavement in front of a bunch of strangers. Total clown moment, but I was thinking about these women the whole time, and it made me feel, like, part of something huge. Their stories? They’re messy, real, and straight-up inspiring.
Why Women Voting Is Such a Big Deal, Yo
Women who changed politics by voting didn’t just waltz in and check a box. They had to claw their way to the ballot. I remember flipping through a history book in high school, barely awake, but now, living in the US where politics feels like a reality TV dumpster fire, it hits me hard. Voting’s like yelling your truth into a megaphone, and these ladies cranked it to eleven. I get all sweaty just picking a candidate on my sample ballot, scribbling notes like I’m studying for finals. These women? They faced mobs, jail, and straight-up hate just to vote.
- It’s personal, you know? Voting’s like telling the world who you are.
- It’s messy as hell. Politics is a circus, and these women were ringmasters.
- It’s hope, plain and simple. Every ballot’s a spark, and they lit a bonfire.
Susan B. Anthony: The Original Voting Badass
Alright, Susan B. Anthony. She’s the OG. She got arrested in 1872 for voting in Rochester, New York, when it was, like, illegal for women. Can you even? I’m over here freaking out if my voter ID’s in my bag, and Susan’s out there risking handcuffs. She didn’t live to see the 19th Amendment in 1920, but she paved the way. I walked by her statue last month, my scarf flapping in the wind, and I swear she was giving me side-eye, like, “Don’t you dare skip voting, girl.” National Women’s History Museum has the full scoop on her.
Sojourner Truth: Voting with a Voice That Roared
Sojourner Truth, a Black woman born into slavery, was out here fighting for everyone’s rights, not just women’s suffrage. Her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in 1851? Chills, dude. I was at this coffee shop the other day, eavesdropping on some kids arguing about politics, and I’m like, “Sojourner would’ve owned this convo.” She pushed for Black women’s voting rights when even other suffragists were like, “Nah, you wait.” Voting was her claiming her place. Smithsonian breaks down her story.
Alice Paul: The Rebel Who Didn’t Quit
Alice Paul was intense, okay? She organized the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade in D.C., got tossed in jail, and went on a hunger strike. I’m whining about a 20-minute wait at the DMV, and Alice is out here starving for the vote. She helped get the 19th Amendment passed and then kept going with the Equal Rights Amendment. I watched a doc about her on my creaky laptop, munching chips on my couch, and I felt so small but pumped. History.com has more on her hustle.
Fannie Lou Hamer: Voting Through Absolute Hell
Fannie Lou Hamer’s story wrecks me. A Black sharecropper in Mississippi, she faced beatings and death threats just to register to vote in the ‘60s. I was driving through a suburb last weekend, seeing “Vote” signs on lawns, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Fannie getting attacked in jail for it. Her 1964 Democratic National Convention speech? Gut-punch. I’m not crying, you are. NPR nails her vibe.
Stacey Abrams: The Voting Queen of Today
Stacey Abrams, though? My actual idol. She’s fighting voter suppression in Georgia like it’s her calling. After losing the 2018 governor’s race, she didn’t mope—she started Fair Fight to make voting fair for everyone. I was scrolling X the other day, saw posts about her, and spilled my coffee cheering too hard. Stacey’s proof women who changed politics by voting are still out here. Check Fair Fight’s site for her work.
My Voting Mishaps and What I Learned
Real talk: I’m no Susan or Stacey. First time I voted, I was so nervous I marked the wrong bubble and had to beg for a new ballot. The poll worker gave me this look, like, “Really, kid?” But every time I vote now, I think of these women who changed politics by voting. They make me feel like my little mark matters. Pro tip: bring snacks to the polls—those lines are brutal. Oh, and check your registration. I learned that the hard way when my address was wrong, and I had to run to the county office in my ratty flip-flops.
Wrapping Up This Hot Mess
So, yeah, women who changed politics by voting? They’re everything. From Susan getting arrested to Stacey kicking butt, they make me wanna show up, even if I’m a mess. I’m sitting here, my cat knocking over my coffee, thinking how their courage lives in every vote I cast. If you’re reading this, go vote, okay? Don’t make me track you down. Drop your voting stories in the comments or on X—I’m all ears!
