Victoria Woodhull

Victoria Woodhull

Susan B. Anthony once said, "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." This quote exemplifies Victoria Woodhull's goal and objective that she conveyed to the world. Victoria Woodhull was born on September 23, 1838 in Homer, Ohio. Coming from a rough past with an illiterate mother, criminal father, and nine other siblings, having very little education, and marrying an alcoholic husband, it didn't stop her from making history. Despite her tough childhood, Woodhull rose to be one of the most influential women's rights activist.

During this time period women had little to no rights, however Woodhull was determined and courageous enough to try and make a difference in a male dominated economy. A hero must have dedication and be hopeful, which is what exactly what Victoria Woodhull was. She was committed to her pursuit of equality and was hopeful by looking forward with desire and confidence. Victoria Woodhull is a hero because she persevered through adversity, taught others to develop their own voice, and was the starting point for females to have a stronger role.

Woodhull used her perseverance to overcome all of her obstacles in her life to work towards a more successful future. Victoria Woodhull, coming from a poverty stricken household, was, "The fifth of seven living children, Victoria grew up in a twenty-five-foot-long frame house on the outskirts of the small town of Homer, Ohio. Though the little girl had been named for a queen, the beginnings of Victoria's own life were far from luxurious"(McLean).

Despite her austere childhood, she shows determination by achieving numerous  accomplishments even from coming from a broken home. Woodhull was inspired to achieve what was thought as impossible for women in that time period. Even after being in an environment that offered little to no opportunities for her to succeed in, she turned the negatives into motivation for her to overcome her obstacles. After successfully beating poverty by finding a husband, she stood steadily while she continued to face her next hardship: "Victoria managed to survive the first year of marriage, and gradually she learned to live with her alcoholic husband. After all, she had no other choice. Under the law a married woman, her wealth, and her future children all belonged to her husband"(McLean). After tolerating her husband, she soon divorced him because unlike other women in her time, she wanted to show that women should not have to put up with abuse. Instead of being pulled down, she learned from the adversities she faced from her rough childhood and applied her desire to not just a be a woman who was restricted to do certain things. Rather than feeling sorry for herself, Woodhull took advantage of her few chances to get ahead in life. As well as being determined, Woodhull wanted to be a voice for people that were also helpless in her unjustified situation.

While Victoria Woodhull fought to find a voice, she also fought so that others could have one too. Although sometimes she was dismissed by men, "Victoria decided to make herself felt as a woman with a forceful political voice. She moved into the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. and declared herself a lobbyist on behalf of women's suffrage"(McLean). She wanted embolden other people to stand up for what they believed was right and wanted others to have a voice. Woodhull could have had a laid back life with the money she earned, but instead, she chose to show courageousness by stepping out of the social norm. During this time period, women were defined as people who were limited to housewives, cooks, and caretakers. "Unlike other newspapers that specialized in finance or politics or women's issues, Victoria's Weekly integrated all three concerns. It also made this diverse audience recognize that they had shared concerns. Unlike the majority of women's rights activists, Victoria declared herself a woman interested not only in women's rights issues but also in human rights issues"(Brookhiser). Victoria Woodhull helped others to find their voice by starting a newspaper that integrated many people's concern, such as women's rights, financial concerns, and politics. This showed many different people that they all similar concerns. By doing this she was voicing out problems that normally wouldn't have been said, and because of that others started to speak their mind as well. Woodhull realized that she must speak out for others with strong and passionate devotion. Woodhull's outspokenness opened many doors towards women's rights.

Victoria Woodhull was part of the beginning of the revolution of standing up for women's rights. Woodhull was the start of something progressive when, "I boldly entered the arena of politics and business and exercised the rights I already possessed. I therefore claim the rights to speak for the unenfranchised women of the country, and announce myself as a candidate for the Presidency"(McLean). Victoria Woodhull was a revolutionary point in history because she dared to run for presidency, even when politics was a strictly men based community. Without hesitation, she goes right into chasing what she chooses to do, even when it is not socially accepted during her time. Her boldness was often associated with being radical but her boldness also shows how ahead of her time she was and compared to the rights women have now, shows how right she was. Woodhull was also the first for other things, "With the help of another male mentor, Senator Benjamin Butler, she spoke for woman suffrage on Capitol Hill, becoming the first woman to appear before a Congressional committee"(Brookhiser). Victoria Woodhull was the first women who spoke on the idea that women deserved more rights and that it needed to be fixed. Her clear expression to social reform caused many close minded people to open their eyes and realize that women's suffrage was worth fighting for. She was determined and ambitious to strive toward her goals. Woodhull understood the power she had when she confidently spoke out against women's suffrage and she used that power to not only change the present, but also the future.

Victoria Woodhull's perseverance through difficulty created a desire to be a voice for others and a social reformer who believed in an individual's freedom. Woodhull was never one to take the easy route in her life, she always had a resiliency to people that tried to enforce that society was based on gender and class while she established that it should be by capability and qualification. There was consistent doubt and controversy at her side, but she always overcame these uncertainties by constantly marching forward to obtain her goal. Victoria Woodhull inspired me because she was a revolutionary figure that was often forgotten about during history  because of her extreme and radical ways of informing people, however she still powered through and motivated many people to fight for their cause. She was also inspirational because she made change that felt as if people that were similar to her, needed to become more powerful and needed to be able to speak out. Victoria Woodhull ability to recognize and identify big problems and her skill to act on these problems represents the true definition of a hero.