#Emilymatters – To Freedom’s Cause & the Suffragette Legacy

After days glued to a screen going through the #Emilymatters event footage (it’s an absolute treasure trove!), I came across an article that promotes an attitude that has bubbled up a number of times over the past few months.

Why do Emily Davison and the suffragette movement still attract knee jerk criticism from a number of conservative thinking people?

 

 

The aforementioned article attempted to brush all the efforts of Emily, the Pankhursts, Mary Leigh and the WSPU under the carpet.

 

Apparently women getting the right to vote was all down to letter writing and the war effort.

 

Letter writing, lobbying and the war effort all had their roles to play, but the suffragettes were a part of that complex equation too.

Though small in number the WSPU openly questioned the Establishment and bamboozled them with inventive and yes, at times, challenging tactics in the face of continued political betrayal and brutal suppression.

Having researched and written To Freedom’s Cause, I was taken by the immense courage of the women and men who pushed for positive change. I don’t think that I could have made such great sacrifices.

 

… depicting the force-feeding of women in Strangeways prison was sophisticatedly directed to explain and show the horror of this practice. 
– Kate Massey-Chase, 4* Review, female arts

 

One of the scenes in the play takes place in Strangeways Prison where Emily barricaded herself in her cell to protest against the forcible feeding of the suffragette prisoners. I felt it was important that this torture was included in the play and judging by the reaction of the audience in the Houses of Parliament earlier this month and audiences since 2009, no one who witnesses it can be under any illusion as to what the suffragettes were up against.

 

 

Writing about and then playing Emily was a daunting challenge. No one play, film or book could entirely capture the spirit of the woman, but I hope to have shed light on her vitality, caring nature and utter determination to push for what was right in the face of relentless hostility and outright brutality.

 

 

Emily was an intelligent, creative and brave woman who campaigned tirelessly so that future generations of women would have an equal voice in our society and the right to vote.

 

The tension between mother and daughter is matched in equal measure with tenderness; in captivating scenes with actors Kyra Williams and Kate Willoughby (playing Margaret and Emily Davison), we witness their conflict, love and ultimately loss, when Emily dies at the Derby.
– Charlie Tarrant, feminist campaigner, weareunfinished.com

 

The cost of this campaigning was high – Emily wrote about the loss of friendships, reputation and income. She and many others gave everything for a right that so many today take for granted. At the last election only 61% of women aged 18 to 24 didn’t vote.

 

 

Arguing that the WSPU only had a small membership compared with the NUWSS (suffragists) is misleading. Change is often driven by a small, but determined group of people who open the way for the majority to follow. You only have to look at recent examples Ukraine or the Arab Spring for proof of this.

 

 

I came across the following Margaret Mead quotation, thanks to @GAPsalon, who like @femalearts and @UnfinishedToday, are very much apart of Emily Davison’s legacy, through their innovative work with artists to promote gender equality:

 

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
― Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist

 

I strongly believe that Emily Davison should return to the Houses of Parliament, to stand tall amidst the ever persistent sea of blokes in Westminster – calling us to action to keep pushing for true equality.

#Emilymatters

 

Kate
Actor & Writer of Emily Davison play To Freedom’s Cause

 

Please do continue to support the Emily Davison Statue in Parliament campaign. 

 

The best way that you can help at this time is to spread the word about Emily Thornberry MP‘s campaign and related gender inequality issues using #Emilymatters and encourage others to sign the petition.

 

 

As the campaign is far from over, To Freedom’s Cause will continue to add its support with a newsletter on related media articles and blogs, so that you can keep up to date on #Emilymatters via our Twitter account @2FCPlay.

The best way that you can help at this time is to continue to spread the word about the campaign and related gender inequality issues using #Emilymatters. 

Although we passed our target of 1,000 signatures, it’s important to keep sharing the link and encouraging others to sign, to demonstrate the genuine Public interest in a statue of Emily Davison being erected in Parliament.

 

 

Please sign & keep spreading the word!

Emily Davison is one of our most important feminist icons. Her legacy continues through current campaigns such as No More Page 3 and the Everyday Sexism Project. Sign the petition in support of the campaign calling for a statue of Emily to be erected in Parliament:

 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/51269

 

As the campaign is far from over, To Freedom’s Cause will continue to add its support with a newsletter on related media articles and blogs, so that you can keep up to date on #Emilymatters via our Twitter account @2FCPlay.

 

 

You can also keep up to date with developments about the work of Kate Willoughby Productions, including the ongoing legacy of this play, by joining our mailing list or follow @katewilloughby8.

 

Kate Willoughby
Actor & Writer of To Freedom’s Cause

 

 

Emily Davison’s legacy is for life, not just for 2013.