The Ways in Which Women’s Suffrage Affected Healthcare

Authors

Madison M. Weber, St. John Fisher UniversityFollow

Keywords

Women's Health, Suffrage, 19th Amendment, Reproductive Rights, Feminism, Maternal Rights, Family Planning

Disciplines

Bioethics and Medical Ethics | Family Medicine | Maternal and Child Health | Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing | Medical Education | Medical Humanities | Nursing Midwifery | Obstetrics and Gynecology | Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | Women's Health

Abstract

The 19th Amendment had and continues to have a major impact on women’s healthcare in the United States. Prior to suffrage, women had little to no ability to voice their thoughts on and change policies that regarded their own health. This essay addresses the way in which the vote both directly and indirectly impacted healthcare; including workplace conditions, maternal and reproductive rights, racial disparities, political advocacy and healthcare, the different waves of feminism, and how this has all affected modern healthcare for women. From progressive articles being published in women's magazines, to the establishment of marital rape, to the availability of birth control, it is easy to see the development of the political voice and influence of the American woman. Even today, in the second wave of feminism, women live in the age of Roe V. Wade and awareness of the serious risks of pregnancy and labor. Through this paper, readers will have the opportunity to learn about and understand the importance of suffrage and how it relates to their own health and wellness.

Recommended Citation

Weber, Madison M.. "The Ways in Which Women’s Suffrage Affected Healthcare." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 22 (2021): -. Web. [date of access]. <https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/ur/vol22/iss1/6>.