Women's Rights in Latin America

Before the twentieth century in Latin America, women's rights in politics were very limited due to the fact that the cultural regions limited the perspectives and the understanding of feminist contributions during this time.  The relationship between gender and politics in twentieth-century Latin America was complex; women took part in political revolutions and political movements to act equals toward men. Yet, women faced gender discrimination from the men who felt that women did not have a role in government and politics. Thus the fight for women's rights and their role in politics and government began.    

Women empowerment was a crucial part of women wanting a role in government. Documents written by women activists talk about why the women of the country need suffrage. This includes the women's need to fight for their children's mortality and better conditions for their working and learning environment. The document was written by a Mexican feminist in 1916. These issues are directly related to her. She believed if women wanted a better future for their children, they needed to take part in the government system themselves. During the Mexican Revolution in 1917, there were also many female soldiers . Women needed to be empowered not only for their children but also for their country; they bring different perspectives to the table, which is why the writer of Document 1 believed it was the best idea for women to have a role in government. A woman's role in government is crucial because they bring a different perspective than men ever could or can. 

Women also wanted to exert their political views on their country by casting votes, which encouraged women's roles in government. In Nicaragua's patriarchal society, women spoke out about the inequality and suffering that they endured, and they wanted to eliminate all of that. The organization that wrote the document was a socialist revolution organization acting on eliminating the suffering. This helped women realize the power they hold within their community, and cultural barriers should not hold them back from taking part in something bigger than themselves. Maria Lusin Marin, in her speech, says that they will "defend their rights". She tells them to take a stand and speak out with their opinion, and to not "wait for powerful people to help you". The push towards women given by other women gave them the empowerment they needed in order to voice their opinion in politics through voting.  Giving men and women the same opportunities through voting can lead to a better-developed country in the future. 

Lastly, women wanted rights not to overpower men but to make sure they were treated as equals to them. Ricardo Dolz, a Cuban senator, said in his speech that "women are not asking to dominate men" but to ensure that men know that women are not below them. Resisting that women want to be treated as equals to men can lead to more "women activists to become socialists and fulfill everyone's greatest fear". Pushing women back can only lead to them pushing themselves harder in order to achieve their goals. "When the Sandinista Front began," women realized they could "work the exact same as a man". A female community activist talks about how if women are treated as equals to men, they can also accomplish the same things men can.  When the front approached, women also fought alongside men breaking all the cultural gender barriers that discriminated against women. 

During the twentieth century in Latin America, women empowered women to take up roles in government and politics. This led to the significant development of Latin American countries. In Latin America, many feminists rose together to provide women opportunities in government and politics.