The theme for International Women’s Day this month is ‘Inspire Inclusion’, and it got me thinking a little bit about how important collaboration is to getting things done, and what evidence I have seen of this during my own research.

A significant aspect of this would have to be the first female MPs who won their seats in the 1920s. They all came to Parliament for different reasons, and it would be scandalous to suggest that they were all united under a clear common goal. They came from different classes, cities, marriages and families, and yet together, managed to pass significant legislation that lingers in our society today. Due to their small number, female MPs began to work together across party lines, recognising that despite their small number, they were capable of enacting real change within a room full of people that overwhelmingly outnumbered their gender.

When MP Ellen Wilkinson first stood as a candidate for Manchester Gorton in 1923, she highlighted her commitment to her gender:

            ‘[e]veryone is agreed that more women are wanted in Parliament to look after the special needs of women and children. The Labour Party is the Home Party.’^[1]

As you may have guessed, she was a Labour politician. Although she was not elected to a seat until the following year, Wilkinson clearly signposted her convictions, and cleverly reflected the expectations that came with being a female MP. Women in the House of Commons were expected to stay far removed from so-called ‘high politics’, these being the economy and foreign affairs, instead spending time on ‘women’s issues’.

Being associated with a particular set of society’s ‘problems’ was not the death sentence that it might have been for a parliamentary career. Women worked together within Parliament, and used their connections with the women’s movement, to forge along a path of reform for pensions, healthcare and moral hygiene. To conquer these laws alone in a room full of men, all vying for time on the parliamentary agenda, would have been all but impossible, but together these women enacted some real change disproportionate to their small number.

It was not all plain sailing, and neither is it today. There are more women in Parliament, and more women in general that sit in committees, on county councils and hold mayoral positions. To be in a position of leadership does not automatically engineer success, so the importance of collaboration remains if those in power are to be able to enact real change.

Sometimes though, I think that we forget the importance of inclusion in our everyday lives, as it’s something that we perhaps take for granted, but definitely notice its absence. I am very lucky to be surrounded by women in my personal and professional ‘lives’ that not only provide genuine encouragement, but also facilitate my personal growth and development by showing me that their path in life is possible to follow. I may not be an MP in Parliament, but I choose to represent my community and clear the road for others behind me in a smaller way. Understanding the bigger picture in which your actions sit, is a way to remind yourself that your actions do matter.

Nancy Astor, the first female MP to take her seat, supported her friend and fellow MP Margaret Wintringham with her pursuit of improved legislation surrounding guardianship. In 1925, the Guardianship of Infants Act was passed into law, which established a clear, legal framework to determine custody arrangements, and for the first time, gave women equal rights with a guardian appointed by her child’s father, and also made the welfare of the child the most important aspect to be considered. The ripple effect of this legislation, enacted by the spirit of collaboration, has made its way into society today. I wonder if Wintringham and Astor truly understood the difference that this bill, and its subsequent revisions, would make to the lives of women and children in precarious situations in the future.

When representing your community or interests, it’s important to think of the people coming behind you, as well as those who stand beside you in the current moment. Selfishness is human nature, and I don’t pretend that I’m free of it, but when fighting for bigger and better things, we must think carefully about those who may not even be affected by the issues we face yet, and how we can improve the situation for them. Passing the flag, if you will.

Activism comes in a variety of forms, from the championing of a colleague, to welcoming a new member of a research group, to challenging a rule or policy. It does not always have to involve marches or strikes, and it may not always be covered by the media, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing. Female MPs existed on a national stage, and were therefore subjected to the media fanfare that is not dissimilar to today. Compared to each other in terms of their looks, and dissected in newspaper columns regarding their fashion choices, female MPs were (and arguably still are) taken for face value, literally. Even if what we are doing to include or support others doesn’t invite intrusive media attention or social media slander (which may be for the better), it doesn’t mean that we won’t face rebuttals of our own. We must, however, keep going, and clear the path of nettles for those who walk behind us.

This Women’s History Month, take some time to think about how you might inspire inclusion. These could be simple things such as altering the language that you use, thinking about how a space is organised, or making the effort to meet new people or reconnect with those you haven’t spoken with in a while.

These small acts of kindness often make the biggest difference.

To find out more about International Women’s Day 2024, read here: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

To read more about female MPs, their fashions, and the press, read here: https://olh.openlibhums.org/article/id/4649/

Abbie Tibbott is a PhD researcher in the Department of History.

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^[1] Ellen Wilkinson’s 1923 election address, PUB 229/3, CPA.