Perceptions of Inequality in Arizona Politics :: Essays Papers

Perceptions of Inequality in Arizona Politics On November 1912, women won the right to vote in Arizona. This period of time marked a lot of changes for women and politics in Arizona. Women had to struggle against a male dominated society that influenced their vote despite their new freedom to vote as they saw fit. The right to vote eventually led to a proliferation of women running for local, state, and national offices. Those running for office faced skepticism about their capabilities as a politician, concern over whether they had the drive, intelligence, and strength to face down opponents within the political arena. Despite these obstacles, women have proven to be successful politicians and have infiltrated the ranks of male dominated government systems, both within states and nationwide. Today, women are virtually equal to men as far as their capabilities are concerned, yet are still under-represented in the national political scene. By reviewing a brief history of a few women in politics in Arizona and examining current political themes, a platform is formed that allows an understanding and recognition of the struggles and progression of women in politics today. I. Sharlot Hall: Pioneer in Arizona Politics One of the first and most famous women to emerge into Arizona politics was Sharlot Hall. Hall was the only daughter of a pioneer family that arrived in Arizona in 1882. Extremely bright, Hall read books often and developed a love for writing and free expression, an expression that was mocked by her father. Despite her family’s misgivings she continued to write poems and stories and was first published at the age of twenty-two. From that moment on her literary flare blossomed. Hall became an expert on writing about the beauty and solitude of the southwest and was published regularly in the magazine Land of Sunshine (Weston, 543). However, her writings were not her only contribution to her state. At the time, Arizona was still not a state and President Roosevelt suggested that New Mexico and Arizona be declared one territory. Her indignance ignited, Hall wrote a poem about Roosevelt’s intentions, which was orated on the floor of the U.S. Congress. While her poem likely had little to do with Arizona’s subsequent separate statehood in 1912, this event marked Hall’s entrance into Arizona politics.