“Women have got a vote now and we mean to use it, and use it wisely, not for the benefit of any section of society, but for the benefit of the whole.”
(Nancy Astor. 1st Speech in Parliament: 24th Feb 1920)

And because these women fought, and in some cases died, so that I could.

(Emmeline Pankhurst)

(Emily Davison)

(Emily Davison’s funeral)

“You have left it to women in your land, the men of all civilised countries have left it to women, to work out their own salvation. That is the way in which we women of England are doing. Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won’t do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death….

…We women see so clearly the fact that the only way to deal with this thing is to raise the status of women; first the political status, then the industrial and the social status of women. You must make women count as much as men.”
(Emmeline Pankhurst. From speech delivered in Hartford Conneticut: November 13th 1913)

It’s May 6th: election day. And today, thanks to Emmeline, and Emily, and all the women who came before, I’ve got a vote, and I mean to use it.