Suffragette

Emerging from the Odeon cinema my friend and I were in a bit of a daze. Suffragette was a documentary style film so gripping that we both felt like we'd been in a protest march ourselves.

It was harrowing in places, touching, tear-jerking and thought provoking. I've always exercised my right to vote and been grateful for it, but until watching the film I was unaware just how much these women went through.

The most shocking of all was the end credits rolling with dates when countries around the world gave women the right to vote. New Zealand was the first in 1883, the UK was 1918 for voting rights for women over 30 then full rights in 1928 for all women, the USA was 1920, France was 1944, Switzerland 1971, Qatar 2015 and Saudi Arabia still waiting.

It was one of those film all women should watch. Part of our history to illustrate how human rights and politics were shaped in relatively recent times.

My Blip photo is a portrait I saw on Friday at the National Portrait Gallery of Dame Christabel Pankhurst, daughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, member of the Women's Social and Political Union. She was a persuasive speaker and effective strategist.

I want to learn more about the Suffragette movement and can feel a book purchase coming on.