About 8 months before the US 2020 presidential election and in an atmosphere of uncertainty due to the containment policies of the Coronavirus, it falls the anniversary of one of the most significant achievements for women's rights in the United States. On April 2, 1917, Jeanette Pickering Rankin became the first woman elected representative to the US Congress.
Not a small achievement, considering that the first women who reached the Italian Parliament were elected only in 1948, and in proportion of 21 out of 556 members. The same universal suffrage in the United States was achieved in every States only in 1920, thanks to the campaign for the approval of the 19th amendment of the American Constitution, for which Rankin fought in the front row.
This way Jeanette, born in 1880, was elected to represent the State of Montana with the Republican Party.
Among the battles that most involved her in her political life were those against the participation of the USA in the First and Second World Wars. History tells that such battles were substantially lost, bringing the pacifists ideas of the suffragette to be considered very unpopular.
Rankin said, "As a woman, I can't go to war, and so I refuse to send anyone else."
During the wars, she became the bearer of the rights of working women, who held fundamental roles in these bellicose contexts, although in the same way they were often left in the background.
Although in 1943 she decided to withdraw from politics, she remained until the last few years a spokesman for the values and causes for which she fought her whole life.
Giulia Geneletti
Laureata con lode in Scienze Politiche presso l'Università degli Studi di Milano, curiosa, intraprendente e sempre motivata da nuove avventure ed esperienze. Ha svolto diverse esperienze lavorative, formative e di volontariato in Italia e all'estero. Si interessa di politiche pubbliche, relazioni internazionali, comunicazione politica, affari europei e di consulenza.
Giulia è entrata nella community di Mondo Internazionale nel Giugno 2019 ed ha da allora ricoperto diversi ruoli sia di redazione che di direzione. Ad oggi è Direttore di Mondo Internazionale HUB, all'interno del quale ha dato vita al progetto di MIPP, l'Incubatore di Politiche Pubbliche di Mondo Internazionale.
Graduated with honors in Political Science from the University of Milan, curious, proactive and always motivated by new adventures and experiences. She has had several work, training and volunteer experiences in Italy and abroad. She is interested in public policy, international relations, political communication, European affairs and consultancy.
Giulia joined the Mondo Internazionale community in June 2019 and has since held various editorial and management roles. To date she is Director of Mondo Internazionale HUB, within which she gave life to the project of MIPP, the Public Policy Incubator of Mondo Internazionale.