Our Own Worst Enemies: Women Opposed to Woman Suffrage

Opposition by women to a movement which identifies itself as for women is not new. In the late 19th and early 20th century female anti-suffragists organized to oppose "the burden of the ballot." The writings of the "antis" (as the female anti suffragists became known) demonstrate an allegiance to class over gender, a sense of powerlessness beyond traditional roles and a fear of change. Exploring this early anti movement may give us a better understanding of the women opposed to the contemporary woman's movement.