Week 6

Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions

When reading the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolution by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, I felt empowered. The drive and passion for equal right and for the right to vote was amazing. To organize such a convention in that decade, without the permission of men, was a very threatening move. When she stated at the end of paragraph 3 “Such has been the patient sufferance of women under this government, and such is now…to demand the equal station to which they are entitled.” (E. Cady Stanton) it was interesting that after many years of striving to become what her brother never was, she gave up that dream and started to live her own life as the women she was, to create the equality that she was never granted. When reading this essay, I felt a relation to Mrs. E. Cady Stanton because as a young girl, I played hockey. It wasn’t known as, your now typical, Girls Hockey league. This was a league for boys, only boys. I have been playing hockey since the age of 3 and a Girl’s hockey league did not exist. I practice as much as I could to be as good, if not better, then the boys. I was discriminated against for many years because I was the only girl on the team. I felt a sense of understanding when Mrs. E. Cady Stanton said that she wanted to be just like her brother, as did I. I have an older brother who also played Travel hockey and I wanted to be just like him. I stuck it out many years playing for a ‘boys’ team until Windsor for a ‘girls’ Hockey league. Even though I was an outsider while playing for that team, I stuck it out, because of my love for the game. Now, due to girls like me, who didn’t quit, there are designated “women’s” dressing rooms in most arenas (instead of dressing in women’s washrooms) and girls are now accepted on “boys” teams, base on skills, not on gender.

The declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions to this day are helping women in small ways make a big difference. I thought the final resolution summed them all up by stating “That the speedy success of our cause depends upon the zealous and untiring efforts of both men and women…and for securing to women an equal participation with men in various trades, professions, and commerce.” (E. Cady Stanton) but in my case, sports as well.