This country was founded on the belief of freedom and democracy. However. it only extended to well-to-do straight, white men. Everyone else had to fight for their their rights, and their place in this country. Women have fared no better. Whether it’s the right to vote, the right to work and have economic autonomy or the right to be treated equally, women have had to fight a long battle (and continue doing so). The adoption of 19th amendment marked the end of decades long suffrage, but it didn’t guarantee the equal treatment of women. The labor rights strived to protect workers from inhuman working conditions but couldn’t necessarily protect against gender discrimination. Equal Rights Amendment was proposed shortly thereafter for exactly that, to protect women from gender discrimination in all aspects. It never got ratified, especially since women were concerned it would upend the fight for their labor rights. As Tara Law said, “Working women at the time were focused on gaining workplace protections for women and children, and some were concerned that an Equal Rights Amendment would endanger laws that made factories safer and limited the number of hours women could work.” Suffrage and labor rights paved the way for the ERA, and the ERA in turn looked to make sure women were treated equally in the workplace despite some friction among the two.

A significant number of today’s workforce is female, and yet women (especially women of color) are the most underpaid demographic. Furthermore, women and non-binary people still face workplace discrimination including, and not limited to, sexist dress codes, maternity leave conditions, unequal treatment, sexual harassment and so on. Labor rights works to ensure people are paid fairly, and can work in a safe environment. So when labor rights are protected, women’s’ right to be treated equally in the workplace is protected, making labor right a gender justice issue.

While some things have progressed, most issues with labor rights remain the same. Like the Triangle returns highlighted, workers in developing countries faced the same fate like the unfortunate women in The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory even after a 100 years. They work under the same condition those young women worked, with less pay and all their attempts to protest are thwarted by force. While the labor rights have protected US citizens, it has done nothing for the people (including children) overseas exploited by large US conglomerates that take advantage of their difficult economic conditions and weak legal systems. Suffrage was a long journey, labor rights is still an ongoing battle and equal rights amendment has a long way to go.