MONTPELIER-At the League of Women Voters, we are often asked, "Can men be members of the League?" And our answer is, "Of course, yes!"
However, this was not always the case. When the league was founded 104 years ago, it was an organization for women, providing support for suffrage and encouraging their participation in the political process.
It would be 50 years before the League of Women Voters would open its membership to men. On May 7, 1974, the League of Women Voters welcomed men as full-fledged members.
The league is a nonpartisan public interest organization and, regardless of gender, everyone has a vital role in empowering voters and defending democracy. Today, right here in Vermont, men work alongside women to protect and expand voting rights, and advocate for critical issues such as health care, reproductive freedom, and the environment.
So here's to celebrating 50 years of men in the league, whose contributions are as valuable and essential as their female counterparts'!
A toast to the men who marched for women's suffrage, fought for the Equal Rights Amendment, and became members of the League of Women Voters. For information, go to lwvofvt.org.
League of Women Voters of Vermont
Montpelier
Sue Racanelli
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