Repertoires of Contention

            In my final blog post about the women’s movement, I have chosen to talk about the repertoires of contention that have been utilized by the movement. Repertoires of contention, as defined in classroom lectures, are basically the ways that people work together to pursue a shared interest. It is a set of various protest-related tools and actions that a movement can use to achieve its goals. Repertoires of contention, a term coined by Charles Tilly, have existed long before the first social movement ever came about. The first forms of contention were smaller, like food riots or banditry. As social movements became a more popular way of protesting, the repertoires of contention also changed. In earlier social movements, some popular repertoires of contention were: tarring and feathering, burning buildings, terrorizing authorities, violent mobs, and riots. As our society became more advanced, our repertoires of contention also became more civilized. It changed to more sophisticated forms, such as: boycotting, petitioning, marches, rallies, and demonstrations, to name a few. As we continue to dive deeper into the age of the Internet, new forms of contention are emerging, like hash tags and “hacktavism”. I want to explore some kinds of repertoires of contention the women’s movement used, and how they were successful.

            One of my favorite aspects about the women’s movement is that the repertoires of contention were all relatively civilized. There was no burning of buildings or violence. For the most part, the early women’s movement used marches, demonstrations, and rallies to get their point across. One of the first big demonstrations of the women’s movement happened on March 3, 1913. Newly elected President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration was the next day. Alice Paul, a prominent suffragette, organized the demonstration on this particular date in order to get maximum attention. Historians estimate that 5,000 suffragists marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, passing the Capitol along the way. There were “24 floats, nine bands, four mounted brigades, and three heralds.” A riot broke out from spectators who did not agree with the movement and things turned violent. Women were heckled and even assaulted. About 100 women were injured. However, they did finish out the march and performed a play featuring “Justice, Charity, Liberty, Peace, and Hope.” The demonstration was talked about in the media for weeks, and it reinvigorated women everywhere for the fight for equal rights. This is a wonderful example of the early women’s movement using a mix of a demonstration, marching, and rallying in order to further the goals of the women’s movement. This spectacle captured the attention of Americans everywhere, and only seven more years had to pass before women finally got the right to vote.

            Next, I want to talk about a more recent repertoire of contention in the women’s movement. In fact, it is happening as I type this. Today, March 8^th, is International Women’s Day. This is a day that celebrates the achievements of women, as well as highlighting the struggles that women still face, like violence and discrimination. International Women’s Day is also doubling as “A Day Without a Woman.” This form of contention is a strike. Newsweek describes the strike as so: “Women across the U.S. and around the world are striking for the day. They have been encouraged to take the day off from paid and unpaid labor, whether it’s a 9-5 job or childcare and domestic responsibilities. Strike participants are also asked to avoid shopping for the day, unless the money will be spent at women- and minority-owned businesses. Supporters have been encouraged to wear red to show solidarity with the strikers.” The goal for the strike “is to highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the U.S. and global economies, while calling attention to the economic injustices women and gender nonconforming people continue to face.” This event differs from the one that happened a little more than 100 years ago- this is a strike, rather than a demonstration. While there are still some demonstrations happening, like the one protesting unequal gender representation on Wall Street, the purpose of this is to make the loss of the presence of women at work known. Women are striking to show that they are needed in the workplace. They want to show that a world without them cannot function. They are striking because they demand an end to economic injustice and unequal representation. For those who cannot attend the strike, there is a hash tag being used by those who support the strikers: #adaywithoutawoman. Also, if you cannot attend the strike, you are encouraged to wear red to show solidarity with those who are striking. Striking, hash tags, and wearing a unity color in solidarity, are all various forms of modern repertoires of contention. These three things are helping women further progress their goal of equality, just as the 1913 Washington Suffragist Demonstration hoped to do.

            To wrap things up, the women's movement has been high successful. It fits the definition of a social movement, and has properly utilized the idea of resource mobilization. Women have been able to achieve their goals through civil disobedience and make political statements through forms of media, such as political cartoons. Finally, the women's movement has utilized proper and respected repertoires of contention in order the further their goals. While the women's movement has been incredibly successful if fighting of the rights of women, we still have a ways to go. I hope that there will be no rest until women have the equal rights that we deserve.