Although the "Women's Rights and Interests Act" has been passed, many women are not used to the rights they suddenly gained due to long-term habits, and they even have no real sense of it.
In the eyes of many people, life does not seem to have changed much. They still clean their rooms, cook, sew and mend clothes every day. They do not want to go out to find work. This is also the right of the store owner.
As for property inheritance rights and child custody rights, they are even more illusory. If the husband is good and there is no divorce, why do we need these two rights?
On the contrary, all the property that had been sentenced before was to be returned, triggering a wave of lawsuits.
But in the eyes of most women, life is still the same as before.
Jennifer is a housewife. She gets up early in the morning to clean the stove and clean up the coal ash that fell on the tables, chairs and cupboards. After cleaning up the coal ash, she takes advantage of the time when the coal is re-burned to heat up the stove. She wants to empty the chamber pot and clean it.
Clean it, take the newspapers outside the door and dry them by the stove, and then prepare breakfast.
Today's breakfast was pea soup, bread and the leftover stew from last night. In order to ensure her husband's strength during the day, she also scrambled two eggs.
As soon as the meal was finished, the husband walked into the kitchen, picked up the dried newspaper, and started eating breakfast.
"What the hell! Congress actually passed the Women's Rights and Interests Act! I'm not afraid of people laughing at me!"
The husband kept mumbling and was very dissatisfied with the bill: "What can women do! Can they do physical work? Can they operate the machines in the factory? I think they can just make a spinning machine! This
Also called work? How much money can you earn in a day? It’s not enough to buy bread!”
Jennifer didn't say a word, silently stirring the stew in the pot. She was used to hearing her husband's complaints. Even if there was no Bill of Rights, he would still complain about the unfairness of the foreman in the factory, whoever it is...occasionally...
Can curse the king twice - in the middle of the night when no one is around.
"Damn! It's too late!"
While complaining, the husband suddenly realized that he was going to be late soon. He finished the omelette on the plate in two or two bites, grabbed his coat and rushed out of the door. Jennifer cleared the plate, and after a while, a little boy walked in sleepily.
.
"Hurry up and eat. After dinner, you have to go to class! You can't be late this time, otherwise the teacher will make you stand again!"
Jennifer brought breakfast without fried eggs to her son, watched him finish it, and then asked him to put on a shoulder bag she had sewn with scraps of fabric and sent him to a public primary school in Lambeth district.
London is a big city, so big that all policies are pioneered here, including government-funded free primary education. Children of any school age can attend school for free, full-time, with classes four days a week, plus extra classes on Sundays.
Go to church Sunday school.
Because it is a public welfare project, we cannot expect the teachers to be very strong. The teachers are very irresponsible and often do not teach you useful knowledge. They just force you to sit at the table until school is over like a boarding school. If you do not obey, you will be punished corporally. Occasionally
There are a few teachers who are willing to give lectures, but the students don't like to listen.
Jennifer knows everything, but what can she do?
It is not easy to send children to school, even if they can only recognize a few words.
After returning home, Jennifer had to start washing clothes, sweeping the floor, and cleaning again. For the sake of the goddess, her husband's factory provided a free lunch. This humane arrangement allowed her to sleep for half an hour longer without having to worry about the day.
Get up when it's not bright...
After washing the clothes and drying them on the pole, Jennifer started to prepare lunch again. The school does not include lunch, and her son will be back soon. Children aged seven or eight are at the time when they are growing, and they will scream hungry when they come back...
In the afternoon, Jennifer lay on the bed and slept for half an hour. She was really tired, but she had to get up soon because the sewing work she was about to take on was not finished yet. The delivery day was the day after tomorrow, and she had only finished half of it.
, it looks like she has to stay up late again tonight, I hope her husband won’t complain about her wasting candles this time...
Boom, boom, boom!
Boom, boom, boom!
There was a fierce knock on the door. Jennifer put down her needlework, walked to the door in confusion, opened the door and took a look...
It's Mrs. Brown, the next-door neighbor.
"Jennifer! Come with me!"
"Where to go?" Jennifer was dragged out of the door by Mrs. Brown. She said with some resistance: "I still have unfinished tailoring work!"
"A tailor's job?"
Mrs. Brown's eyes widened: "Oh my God, Jennifer, what age is this? Why are you still doing these dead-end things? Today's clothes are all from factories, beautiful and neat, just like you
Such handmade tailors have long since ceased to be popular! We should do something big!"
"Big deal..." Jennifer didn't understand at all: "I don't understand what you are talking about..."
"Duke Freya has established a women's union! Don't you know? She is calling on women to join the guild, unite and defend their rights!" Mrs. Brown said excitedly: "Brinda and the others have passed! We can
We can’t be the last batch! What an honor this is! Women’s trade union! I couldn’t even think of it before!”
Jennifer was shocked. She was very traditional in thinking and never dared to do anything that was out of bounds. The women's union was such a new and subversive movement that she did not dare to join.
"No... no... you go on your own, I'd better stay here and finish the work... If you don't finish the work, you'll have to pay liquidated damages..."
"What liquidated damages!" Mrs. Brown said angrily: "He didn't sign the labor contract at all! Why should we pay liquidated damages? Nowadays, handmade tailors on the market are getting more and more expensive! The wages they pay us are only a few pennies!
This is so unfair! Jennifer, Duke Freya said that as long as we all join the guild and unite, no one can bully us! Our wages will also be doubled several times!"
"How...how many times?" Jennifer opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Does this mean I can earn 1 shilling by sewing a scarf?"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "2 shillings is fine! Do you want to come? The conference is about to begin!"
Jennifer thought for a few seconds, then looked at the women rushing in the same direction on the street, and thought: At worst, if you stay up all night, you can still get it done, and the most you will get is a scolding...
"Okay, I'll go with you!" Jennifer gritted her teeth.
"move!"
Following Mrs. Brown, Jennifer came to Archbishop Park, which is the most suitable place for gatherings. There are no tickets and the place is large. The only drawback is that the police often come to drive them away, but Duke Freya only needs to glare at the police.
He ran away in despair...
All the women from Lambeth District came, and the Archbishop Park was packed to the brim. The crowd could not be seen to the side, and there were thousands of people at least. It was the first time for Jennifer to see such a huge formation, and she felt much less uneasy.
My confidence has also improved.
We can't all be arrested...she thought to herself.
No one could be seen on the stage made of wooden boards. Freya was staying behind the stage with several daughters of noble families, discussing the next move.
The people have already gathered, and the next step is to ask them to sign the list or press their fingerprints to become a part of the guild.
In the early days of establishment, the monthly membership fee was only 1 pence. It was symbolic, and all unions had membership dues, which were the most basic operating funds.
Of course, many people are unwilling to take even if it is just 1 penny. It does not matter whether it is money or not. The key is whether they can sign the list and join the union.
This depends on Freya’s appeal.
Taking the tin trumpet, Freya walked up to the high platform, looked at the crowd of people around her, and said loudly: "Sisters, in your eyes, I may be a high-ranking Duke, but today, I want to tell you that after becoming a Duke
Before, I was also a woman!"
"We are all human beings, so why can women only stay at home and do housework and do trivial tasks that men look down upon?"
"We also have personality! We also have dignity! We won the first struggle! We have received certain recognition, but we cannot be complacent yet! Don't forget how we won!"
Freya shouted to the crowd below: "We cannot fight alone! There can be no traitors among us! We must unite! Only in this way can we strive for equal status and respect!"
"But...but we don't have the ability..." Someone in the audience said angrily: "We have no jobs, and the money we earn is not enough to support ourselves. Without money, we can only look at men's faces..."
"That's what I'm going to say next!" Freya suddenly changed the topic: "Sisters! Don't forget! We have a big card in our hands! The right to vote!"
"As long as we unite, vote for candidates who support us, and let them become members of parliament, we will get enough job opportunities!"
"In short, as long as they do not support us or despise us, we cannot vote for them! We must fight with them to the end! Dignity is earned by ourselves! We do not want their mercy!"
"Yes, that's right!"
Thousands of voices echoed in the audience, and Mrs. Brown shouted so loud that her voice almost became hoarse. Finding Jennifer was silent, she couldn't help but ask: "Jennifer, don't you agree with President Freya's statement?"
?”
"It's not that I don't agree, I just never thought... can we really win?" Jennifer worried.
"Yes! It must be possible! Jennifer, didn't you read the information published in the newspaper? In London, there are hundreds of thousands more women with the right to vote than men! As long as we unite, we can elect people who support us
MP!"
"Then...who should we choose?" Jennifer knew nothing about elections: "How do we know if those congressmen are deceiving us?"
Just at this time, Freya's voice came from the stage: "Sisters, keep your eyes open! You must not be deceived by men! You must follow the union's choice and vote for the person you should vote for!"
"Who should I vote for specifically?" someone in the audience asked.
"The candidates for different constituencies are also different. The union will give you the answer later, but in Lambeth..." Freya smiled: "No need to think about it at all! Sisters! Who started the first battle for our rights?
One shot? This sister, do you know?"
The woman who was named said without thinking: "It's Mr. Nicholas!"
"That's right! Nicholas von Manstein! This is the first time he has fought for our rights in public! Sisters, we doubt that no one should doubt him! He has absolutely no need to do this! He is thinking about us like this
Man, of course we must give him our precious vote!"
The women gathered in front of the stage nodded, feeling that what Freya said was absolutely correct.
"Sisters! Sign the list! Join the union and we will protect your rights! Men can no longer beat and scold us arbitrarily! If this happens, we will find justice for you! Come on! Sign it!
We must unite!”
At Freya's appeal, a long queue formed in front of the stage. Women kept signing their names on the list and paying the 1 penny membership fee. Jennifer was a little uneasy and didn't know what to do.
"Jennifer, are you still hesitating?"
Mrs. Brown, who was among the first in line to sign, came back. Seeing Jennifer still watching, she said dissatisfiedly: "You are not united! Although I can't force you to do anything, you should be responsible for your own destiny! Just obey.
Trade union directives to fight for women’s rights!”
"me..."
"May I have your name?"
The questioning voice from behind made Jennifer's body tremble. She slowly turned around and found Freya standing behind her with a smile on her face.
"F...Duke Freya..."
"Don't be nervous." Freya held Jennifer's hand and while stroking the rough calluses on her hand, she sighed: "What a beautiful pair of hands. I felt that a woman who silently devoted herself to her family was worth her efforts.
respected..."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Jennifer lowered her head when she was told, and said shyly: "Duke Freya, you..."
"Just call me Freya, you haven't told me your name yet."
"My name is Jennifer...Jennifer Wiley."
"What a good name, Jennifer. Let me ask you, are you satisfied with your current life?"
Jennifer was stunned by the question. She opened her mouth and wanted to give a satisfactory answer, but she couldn't say anything.
She cannot go against her own heart.
"Do you think you were born to live this kind of life?" Freya asked again: "Although all this is your own choice, have you ever thought about whether there is a second choice when you make a choice?
An option?”
"No...I was married off by my father..."
"Do you want to have other options?" Freya said softly: "It's still too late now. You are still young. The union can arrange for you to do other jobs. The money you earn will not be much less than that of men. Your
Giving will give you the courage to face your husband, which is dignity."
Freya pointed to Jennifer's chest: "The dignity of no longer relying on others and financial independence will change your life."
"Is it really possible?" Jennifer's eyes gradually brightened: "I...can I get rid of my current life and do other things?"
Suddenly, Jennifer seemed to remember something, and her eyes dimmed again: "I can't do it...except housework and tailoring, I can't do anything..."
"Jennifer, raise your head."
Freya said earnestly: "The union will teach you new skills and give you the confidence to challenge life, but the first step is to take the courageous step yourself and join the union. You will not regret this choice. I promise