The 19th Amendment at 105: Progress, Persistence, and the Path Forward

The Right to Vote!

On August 18th, 2025, we commemorate the 105th anniversary of Tennessee's ratification of the 19th Amendment—a significant milestone that highlights both our progress and the work still needed. Tennessee became the pivotal state that enabled women across the United States to gain the right to vote.

On August 26, 1920, the United States Constitution was permanently transformed by four simple yet groundbreaking words: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The 19th Amendment was the result of decades of activism, sacrifice, and steadfast determination by suffragists who recognized that political participation was essential to achieving equality.

Today, 105 years later, we pause to reflect not only on this historic achievement but also on the complex landscape of women's rights in contemporary America. While the amendment opened the door to political participation, the journey toward true equality has revealed itself to be far more intricate than simply securing the vote.

The Long Road to Suffrage

The path to the 19th Amendment was neither swift nor easy. The women's suffrage movement gained momentum in the mid-19th century, with pioneers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony laying the groundwork for future generations. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention marked a pivotal moment, where women first formally declared their intention to seek equal rights, including suffrage.

The movement faced fierce opposition from those who argued that women's political participation would undermine traditional family structures and social order. Suffragists endured ridicule, imprisonment, and violence. They organized parades, lobbied legislators, engaged in civil disobedience, and employed innovative tactics like the "Silent Sentinels" who picketed the White House during World War I.

The amendment's passage was also marked by painful exclusions. While it prohibited sex-based voting restrictions, many women of color continued to face barriers through poll taxes, literacy tests, and other discriminatory practices that weren't fully addressed until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Native American women weren't granted citizenship—and thus voting rights—until 1924, and many Asian American women remained excluded until immigration law changes in the 1940s and beyond.

Measuring Progress: Women in Politics Today

The numbers tell a story of significant progress tempered by persistent gaps. As of 2025, women hold approximately 28% of seats in Congress—a historic high, yet still far from parity. At the state level, women comprise about 31% of state legislators nationwide, with significant variation across states. Nine women currently serve as governors, representing nearly 20% of all governors.

The 2020 election marked several historic firsts, including the election of Kamala Harris as the first female Vice President. Women of color have achieved unprecedented representation in Congress, reflecting both the diversification of political leadership and the growing political engagement of communities that were historically excluded from power.

Yet challenges remain. Women candidates still face unique obstacles, from fundraising difficulties to gender-based attacks on their qualifications and electability. The phenomenon of "electability anxiety"—where voters worry about whether others will vote for a woman—continues to influence electoral outcomes. Campaign finance structures often disadvantage women, who typically have less access to wealthy donor networks.

Economic Equality: Unfinished Business

Perhaps nowhere is the incomplete nature of women's equality more evident than in economic life. The gender pay gap, while narrower than in previous decades, persists across virtually all industries and education levels. Women working full-time earn approximately 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, with the gap significantly wider for women of color.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities. Women, who make up a majority of essential workers in healthcare, education, and service industries, faced disproportionate health risks. Simultaneously, the burden of childcare and remote learning fell heavily on women, forcing many to reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely. The "she-cession" highlighted how economic vulnerability intersects with caregiving responsibilities.

Beyond wages, women face systemic barriers in career advancement. The "glass ceiling" may be cracked, but it hasn't shattered. Women hold fewer than 30% of Fortune 500 CEO positions and remain underrepresented in corporate boardrooms, despite comprising nearly half the workforce and earning more college degrees than men.

Entrepreneurship offers both opportunities and challenges. While women start businesses at higher rates than men, they receive a disproportionately small share of venture capital funding. This funding gap limits the growth potential of women-owned businesses and contributes to wealth disparities.

Reproductive Rights and Bodily Autonomy

The landscape of reproductive rights has become increasingly complex and contentious. The Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, returning abortion regulation to individual states. This has created a patchwork of laws across the country, with some states maintaining broad access to reproductive healthcare while others have implemented near-total bans.

The implications extend beyond abortion access. Contraception availability, fertility treatments, and maternal healthcare have all become subjects of political debate. Maternal mortality rates in the United States remain alarmingly high compared to other developed nations, with stark racial disparities that reflect broader healthcare inequities.

These issues illuminate tensions between different visions of women's roles and autonomy. While some view reproductive rights as fundamental to women's equality and self-determination, others frame these issues through religious or moral lenses that prioritize different values. These competing perspectives continue to shape policy debates and electoral outcomes.

Violence and Safety

Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue affecting millions of American women. Domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment create barriers to full participation in society. The #MeToo movement brought unprecedented attention to these issues, particularly in workplace settings, leading to policy changes and cultural shifts in how society addresses sexual misconduct.

Technology has created new forms of gender-based harassment, from online stalking to non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Digital platforms struggle to balance free expression with user safety, while legal frameworks lag behind technological realities. The assault of female avatars in games and entertainment platforms continues to increase.

The criminal justice system's handling of gender-based violence cases continues to face criticism. Low prosecution and conviction rates for sexual assault, alongside victim-blaming attitudes, discourage reporting and perpetuate cycles of violence. Reform efforts focus on trauma-informed approaches, specialized courts, and better training for law enforcement and judicial personnel.

Education and Career Opportunities

In education, women have achieved remarkable success, earning more bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees than men. However, gender segregation persists in many fields. Women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, while men are underrepresented in education, healthcare, and social work.

This occupational segregation contributes to pay gaps and limits economic opportunities for both genders. Efforts to encourage girls' participation in STEM begin in elementary school but must contend with persistent stereotypes and cultural messages about gender-appropriate interests and abilities.

The rise of remote work and flexible employment arrangements, accelerated by the pandemic, offers new possibilities for balancing career and family responsibilities. However, these benefits aren't equally accessible across all industries and economic levels.

The Intersection of Identity

Modern discussions of women's rights increasingly recognize that gender intersects with race, class, sexuality, disability status, and other identities in ways that create unique challenges. Women of color face compounded discrimination, earning less than white women and men of all races. LGBTQ+ women encounter additional barriers in employment, healthcare, and family recognition.

Immigration status further complicates access to rights and protections. Undocumented women may avoid reporting crimes or seeking healthcare due to deportation fears, while legal immigrants face lengthy waits for family reunification and pathways to citizenship.

This intersectional understanding has enriched feminist movements but also created tensions about priorities and strategies. Building coalitions across diverse communities requires acknowledging different experiences while working toward common goals.

Looking Forward: Challenges and Opportunities

As we commemorate the ratification of the 19th Amendment's 105th anniversary, several key challenges and opportunities shape the path forward. Climate change disproportionately affects women globally, creating new imperatives for women's leadership in environmental policy. Artificial intelligence and automation may reshape the economy in ways that either exacerbate or alleviate gender-based inequalities, depending on how these transitions are managed.

The global nature of contemporary challenges—from pandemics to economic instability—requires international cooperation and women's full participation in leadership roles. American women's rights advocates increasingly work in solidarity with global movements while addressing distinctly American challenges.

Political polarization complicates efforts to advance women's rights, as issues that once enjoyed bipartisan support become partisan flashpoints. Building sustainable progress requires finding common ground while not compromising on fundamental principles of equality and dignity.

The Continuing Revolution

The 19th Amendment was revolutionary not just for what it achieved, but for what it set in motion. It established the principle that citizenship includes political participation regardless of gender, laying groundwork for broader challenges to discrimination and exclusion.

Today's women inherit both the achievements and the unfinished work of earlier generations. The vote was a beginning, not an end. Each generation must determine how to use that hard-won political power to address the challenges of their time.

The suffragists who fought for the 19th Amendment understood that democracy works best when all citizens can participate fully. As we mark this 105th anniversary, their legacy challenges us to continue expanding that circle of participation, ensuring that the promise of equality becomes reality for all women in America.

The work continues, guided by the same persistence and vision that secured the vote 105 years ago. The 19th Amendment remains not just a historical achievement, but a living testament to the power of organized advocacy and democratic participation. In honoring that legacy, we commit to carrying forward the ongoing struggle for true equality in all aspects of American life.