An Overview of the "Suffragette"

Summary:
           Director Sarah Gavron’s 2015 film Suffragette, follows the life of Maud Watts, a young working wife and mother living in 1912 era London. Unexpectedly, Maud finds herself thrown into the suffragette movement, alongside a number of women, fighting for equality and voters rights. She and her fellow suffragettes soon finds themselves facing backlash at every corner- from their families, employers, neighbors, and local law enforcement. Ultimately, Maud finds herself at a crossroads between keeping her family together or continuing to support a just cause. 

Here's a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=056FI2Pq9RY

Analysis:

                    Throughout the history of mankind, women have faced dehumanization. Time and time again, they have fought and struggled for their own power against men. Their power to be equal to the male gender without the barrier of sexism between the two. Sarah Gavron’s 2015 film Suffragette, illustrates the challenges women have faced to gain the same freedoms and liberties as men. Many feminist concepts and principals found during the film’s duration illustrate the limits of the female image and challenges modern day feminist values.

            From the very beginning of the movie, power is shown to be strictly reserved for men. One of the very first scenes of the film features Maud walking past a shop with mannequins− two children and a mother− in the display. Suddenly, a number of women start throwing rocks through the window, yelling, “Vote for Women” and “Fight for Women!” Following their act of public disobedience, the acting women are quickly taken down by the all-male police officers, both through physical means and actually taken to jail. By immediately handling the situation, the police −the men− demonstrate their power over the protesting women. They indirectly relay the message that women are not supposed to speak out nor are they to challenge men. This message completely challenges the foundation of feminist values, who believe both men and women are equal to one another, while the women of the time epitomize the values of feminism.

           Many more similar acts of male dominance over women take place during the film. For instance, following Maud’s further commitment to the women’s suffrage movement and being kicked out by her husband, her son is given up for adoption. Maud’s husband, Sully, does this completely on his own without notifying or receiving permission from her. The example again goes to show that men hold power over women within the family. These actions reflect how limited the image of a women was during the time period. The role of wife and mother was entirely separate from that of partner and parent. This distinction represents why feminist values were established. Because they recognize that they’re everyday roles are downplayed by men and strive to reach a point where husband and wife, father and mother, are equally partners and parents in the relationship.

            Further into the film, Maud’s testimony to parliament displays the complexities of oppression and privilege between men and women. During her testimony, Maud describes how the dangers of working at her workplace, Glass House Laundry, under the control her employer Mr. Taylor. She elaborates on the poor conditions, child labor, unequal pay, and health risks of women. Additionally, she mentions how men have higher pay, aren’t as likely to suffer under the poor work conditions, and receive less health risks in comparison to women. These different factors between each gender represent gender oppression and privilege in the workplace. Women are oppressed in the workplace by being forced to endure worse conditions than their male coworkers. Due to their gender women are denied the basic human rights that are given to men. By having their human rights identified by their employer men hold both privilege and power over women. The discrimination of women in the workplace reflects women as objects, replaceable and cheap. Maud’s testimony on men and women in the workplace reflects what feminist want to move away from− unfair and unjust treatment alongside males− and ultimately change.

            Women have always played the supporting roles in the history of the world. Often times these supporting roles have limited the images of women in others eyes. However, goals towards equality and voters rights have worked to transform feminist values to what they are today. The Suffragette bring to lights the many issues concerning gender, power, and oppression./ privilege in early 20^th century Great Britain.