INTRODUCTION:
The notion I’m going to speak about is places and forms of power, first of all I’m going to define this notion: power can be expressed in different ways: it can be political, military, economic, but depending on the type of power, the places where they are practiced are different.
In order to illustrate the notion, I’ve chosen to talk about the power and the evolution of the woman’s rights my presentation will deal with this question:
What are the various places and forms of power which led to an improvement in women’s rights?
At first, I will talk about the inequality between men and women in the past, then about the power of suffragettes to affirm women's vote, and finally I will deal about the power of women after the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
I- 16th century: Male domination
The first document is an extract from the book “The Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare dating back to 1593. This text exposes a misogynist vision of society, in which there is no equality between men and women. Women haven’t rights, they are totally submitted to their husband, they are under control of men which exercise a power of domination. What is surprising here is that this monologue is uttered by woman who teaches, advises other women and who praises the power of men. With this extract we understand that women didn’t have rights and the power is to the man at that time.
A few centuries later women begin to claim their rights with the right to vote.
II- The power of suffragettes for the assertion of women’s rights
At the end of the nineteenth century many voices were rising for women's rights. Men have lots of rights that women don't have. That’s why in 1987, Maud Fawcett creates the National Union of Women Vote. In 1903 she was joined by Emmeline Pankhurst and together they create the suffragette’s movement and that will spread over the world for women rights. The suffragettes used power of strength as: newspapers “The Suffragette’s”, demonstrations, violent actions as arson attacks for to obtain the right to vote and their actions take place/occur in the street, prison and at home against their husbands as illustrates the poster “A Suffragette’s Home”. Their actions attract the press. Emmeline Pankhurst was killed by the king’s colt during an action. The power of the police and of the government are hardest to fight against for the Suffragettes. They were repressed and sent to prison. Their fights for women’s votes was long and difficult but even the power of the government and the police don't stop the Suffragettes.
III- The power of social networks in Women’s rights
Today, the society has evolved and with that the places and forms of power have also changed. A few months ago, bursts one of the most resounding scandals of the 21st century about sexual harassment. Then in the whole world, hashtags as “#Metoo” or “#BalanceTonPorc” have allowed a release of women speech. Twitter has become a place where every woman can express themselves and denounce their aggressor. Women became with their voices a form of power.
CONCLUSION: To conclude, over times the fights for women’s rights, the places and forms of power have evolved. They allowed women to make their voices heard and assert their rights. We may wonder if social networks will be a place of Power?
