3D Lenticular print, 1150mm wide x 1750mm high.

Turning Point UK Charity commission to work with people living with HIV.

Giant paper flowers made by participants as part of the POSITIVE project

(Article on page 89)

Drawing Club University of Suffolk 2020

It has come to my attention that a portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst, or indeed any suffragette, is not displayed in the permanent art collection in the Houses of Parliament.

It seems strange and wrong that in this day and age we are not recognising, celebrating and remembering the very woman who founded the Women’s Social and Political Union….the precusor to the Suffragette Movement.

Today only 22% of MPs are women, how do we expect women to be inspired and look to Parliament in a wish to hold public office- if the very seat of our democracy does not recognise the very women who shaped politics and fought for women’s suffrage.

Charlotte Newson’s Portrait is an amazing piece of art and a celebration of this women, the suffrage movement and extraordinary ordinary women past and present.

Charlotte asked people to send in photographs of the woman that had inspired them most in their lives. Thousands did and from this Charlotte created her portrait. The warmth, beauty and vitality that radiates from the portrait comes not only from the stunning image that resulted but also from the knowledge that each photograph tells a story of a woman who has inspired others.

Please ask the Art committee to strongly consider her work and readdress this awful admission of Emmeline from the halls of the very place she sought to change and indeed succeeded in doing so.

Many thanks

You can help in several ways….

1) SHOUT ABOUT IT! 

Well maybe not literally (although that’s often good for the soul…) help us spread awareness.

Tweet, Facebook, write a blog, interpretive dance, make banners…what ever floats your boat – we need people to know that Emmeline and other Suffragettes are not represented in Parliament.

The women who were so incredibly brave to stand up to the establishment, who were often treated without dignity, imprisoned, force feed (an extremely invasive treatment) and generally shunned. They gave their time, lives and passion.

@womenlikeyou

Facebook: Women like you

2) TELL THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Write to your local MP…tell them you would like them to ask why a portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst is absent from the Houses of Parliament – the very seat of our democracy.

Write to The Rt Hon Sajid Javid Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and ask him the same question.

Write to the members of the parliamentary committee who over see purchasing art for the Houses of Parliament. This is a cross party of members – they have the power to change the status quo….

If you’re not sure what to say …click here for our example.

3) SELFIE! SELFIE! SELFIE!

We all appreciate a selfie every now and then – not only does it up the profile of women on the internet – never a bad thing – it can send a message to those out there too.

We are encouraging women to take a photo of themselves holding a placard with the name of a women who inspires them written on it – tweet this to @womenlikeyou #womenlikeyou 

THANK YOU

I grew up with a feminist grandmother – that’s where it all started.

I lived in the wilds of Suffolk – no roads – no street lights near our house & went to school locally where I learnt about feminists Elizabeth Garrett Anderson & her sister Millicent Garrett Fawcett who lived in Aldeburgh – where my primary school was – so my first contact with the suffragette movement was at Primary School!

Elizabeth’s father was a Newson – my family name – so a part of the family history and the fact that she was the first woman to qualify as a doctor and physician in Briton, and the first female Mayor and magistrate of Aldeburgh my local seaside town impressed me hugely.  She is also buried there.

Whilst still in my teens a programme/serial came on TV called ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ depicting the suffragettes.  My grandmother and mother were keen for my sister and me to watch it so that we understood the political history of women in this country and our local connection to women’s suffrage.  We watched every single episode and I can still recall my horror at the force feeding scenes.

The fact I became a feminist seems obvious to me now as a mature woman – but in the 1970’s there was wasn’t much on offer locally to women who wanted to live an independent life – I moved to London and by the 1990’s I was in Manchester – the rest in history as they say!

Kate Green – Member of Parliament for Stretford & Urmston.

Josie Teubler – Project Manager: Campaign Women Like You, Councillor for Didsbury West Ward Manchester & Lead member for Women

I’ve always been interested in women’s issues – growing up I often wondered where the women were? Where were the artists, authors, politicians, shaker and movers ….Did they exist? Where were women’s voices? Were their stories merely hidden or undocumented maybe forgotten?

Today I now know it’s a mixture of all three…women’s stories were often taking place out of sight and behind closed doors. Throughout history women have had to fight and struggle to be heard, and although today many would have us believe the fight for equality has been won, the truth is far from that.

Globally around 70% of the worlds poor are women, 10% of directors on corporate boards are women, in the UK alone 2 women per week are killed by their partners, 22% of MPs are women, women are more likely to have invasive cosmetic surgery, suffer an eating and earn less then men for doing the same job. All of which I find pretty depressing stuff.

Emmeline Pankhurst started the journey to change this – she helped make women visible – she led them onto the streets, into the debating chambers and maybe most importantly of all to Westminster.

This is why this campaign is so important to me. Until at the very seat of our democracy we recognise and celebrate one of the founders of women’s politics, it is no wonder than women, all too often, feel sidelined and ignored by our political system and choose not to enter public office.

I studied social sciences at University, and worked in TV production before having my family 2 sons and one daughter. Now I am a councillor for Didsbury West Ward, Manchester, and lead member for Women equalities, as well as on the health scrutiny committee and Transport for Greater Manchester Board.

Emily Rowes – Councillor for Moss Side Manchester