Twelve Reasons Why Mothers Should Have the Vote, Equal Suffrage League Flyer, 1910's

Founded in 1909, Virginia's Equal Suffrage League sought support for the vote in many ways. Members lobbied legislators, gave public speeches, and published editorial letters, broadsides, and pamphlets. They advanced many arguments about why women should have the vote, but one they used quite often—as did other suffragists around the country—focused on "maternalism." Women who embraced the maternalist ideology believed that as mothers, all women were better suited and indeed, obligated to make the world a better place for children, which is the argument used in this flyer printed by the Equal Suffrage League. They used this concept to fight for public health initiatives, child labor reform, prohibition of alcohol, educational opportunties, and other issues that were part of the broad-based social reform efforts known as the Progressive Movement early in the 20th century. Although it was reductive in its assumption that all women would be mothers and often moved into problematic territory with support of eugenics, it became one of the most-used concepts of the early 20th century in arguments to afford women more rights.    

A typical maternalist reformer looked like Richmond native Lila Meade Valentine (1865–1921). She devoted much of her life to advocating reforms in public education and health care. She also supported voting rights for women and she co-founded the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia in 1909. Serving as its first (and only) president, Lila Valentine helped establish local leagues across the state and built a strong organization of women who lobbied legislators, wrote letters to the editor, passed out suffrage literature on street corners and at county fairs, and made public speeches at courthouses, churches, schools, theaters, and from the back of open-top automobiles as part of their efforts to educate the public about the importance of women's voting rights. Lila Valentine made hundreds of speeches herself.   

The Equal Suffrage League wanted to persuade legislators to amend the state constitution to provide woman suffrage in Virginia. The General Assembly voted against amending Virginia's constitution three times, and Equal Suffrage League members began supporting efforts in favor of a federal amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Members did not convince the General Assembly to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, but they did succeed in building support for woman suffrage in Virginia. After Tennessee ratified the amendment in August 1920 and women achieved the right to vote, the Equal Suffrage League dissolved and reorganized as the Virginia League of Women Voters to help women and men become informed voters. 

Citation: Equal Suffrage League,"Twelve Reasons Mothers Should Have the Vote," Equal Suffrage League of Virginia Records, 1909–1938, box 7, Accession 22002, Library of Virginia.

Related Document Bank entries:
Voting Qualifications in Virginia Pamphlet, c. 1910s
Anti-Suffrage Arguments, Broadside, circa 1912
Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, Broadside, ca. 1910s


Learn more:
View a timeline of the campaign for women's voting rights in Virginia at We Demand: Women's Suffrage in Virginia.

Learn more about Lila Meade Valentine in her Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry.

Lesson Plan
For detailed lesson plan options, visit our Lesson Plan on the Woman Suffrage Movement in Virginia.

Preview Activity

Scan It: Look at the flyer: what stands out to you immediately, and why?

Post Activities

Artistic Expression: Design a poster that maternalists could have used to illustrate the arguments made in this flyer. What imagery will you rely on, and why?

Analyze: Read through the arguments made in the flyer. What do you think of them? Whom does it exclude, and why? Were these arguments compelling? Were they successful? Why or why not? What other arguments could woman suffragists have made, and why?

Current Connection: What are some examples of women today who have struggled with the notion of balancing the appearance of playing a traditional role while being an agent for change?