Christabel Pankhurst, Alexandra Kollantai, and Marjane Satrapi were women’s rights activists who believed that a woman had a greater role to play in the society. The three women were living in environments where women were not allowed to participate in important decisions that pertained to their environment. They fought for the rights of women not only by encouraging them to stand up but by being perfect examples in leadership positions. Apart from Marjane who was not actively involved in politics, Christabel and Alexandra were engaged in politics where they demanded that women be allowed to vote. Even though women were not actively involved in leadership issues, they were part of the people that were being led and therefore deserved the right to determine who would lead them (Hunt 77). They stoop for political parties that put the agenda of women at heart through their manifesto.
The differences that the women displayed is that Marjane fought for the freedom of women especially on matters to do with dressing. Alexandra was more focused on the political issues that affected women especially on national leadership. Christabel on the other hand focused on the general health of women including sustaining healthy relationships. Marjane felt that religion was the biggest drawback to the progress of women by bounding them to certain traditions. She felt that women had a right to choose how to express themselves in terms of their dressing irrespective of the religion they subscribed(Satrapi 57). Christabel recognized the important role that women had in building the society and sought to empower them on their reproductive health. He pushed for the need for women to be informed about family planning and being empowered to bring up good families.
Alexandria felt that the biggest hindrance to progress was the issue of women being left out of vital leadership responsibilities. Alexandria felt that women needed not only to be given the rights to vote but also leadership opportunities. Her efforts were aimed at creating awareness among women on the capabilities they had in shaping the political environment. While in leadership, he pushed for the recognition of women in matters of national government. She pushed for laws that will encourage women to actively participate in politics by having women vote and also vote for female leaders.
Marjane Satrapi raised important issues that pertain to women and dressing. In as much as she was not against young girls wearing hijabs, especially in school, she recommended that such girls should understand why the need to. She personally felt bound at a young age being forced to wear a hijab, yet she was not comfortable. On the other hand, she felt that by banning wearing of hijabs in school by the French government, it was a violation of the rights of women. She felt that people felt different when it came to clothing and should hence be allowed a dress code that will make them feel comfortable. The only problem that Marjane saw in a hijab is when small girls who did not understand what it was all about were forced to wear them (Kollontaĭ 65). Considering the design of the cloth, Marjane felt that it hindered the little girls from enjoying their childhood.
In as much as religion is important to even young children, following certain traditions should be a voluntary decision rather than being made compulsory. For instance, lessons such as dressing for women in a certain religion can be taught in school but at the same time not being imposed on them. Once children know and understand why they are required to be in a particular dress code, it will be easy for them to demand it from their parents. However, when they feel that such teachings make little sense to them, and then they can choose what they feel is comfortable (Spender 45). No government has a right to declare a barn on a particular dressing especially when it is related to religious believes. Instead, the government should intervene in schools to ensure that children are not denied the right to education simply because of what they choose to wear.
Works cited
Hunt, Lynn, et al. "The making of the West." The American Historical Review 105.5 (2000).
Kollontaĭ, Aleksandra. Sexual Relations and the Class Struggle: Love and the New Morality. Falling Wall Press, 1972.
Pankhurst, Dame Christabel. Unshackled: the story of how we won the vote. Vol. 1. Century Hutchinson, 1987.
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. Random House, 2006.
Spender, Dale. Feminist theorists: three centuries of women's intellectual traditions. Women's Press, 1983.
