08/26/2026
Women’s Rights: Unfinished Business | Women’s Equality Day 2026
On Women’s Equality Day, Unfinished Business traces the long—and still unfinished—fight for women’s rights in America.
Across the decades, women organized, voted, ran for office, challenged discrimination, and changed the law:
The right to vote: The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited denying the vote based on s*x, but many women continued to face barriers to the ballot.
Constitutional equality: The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced in 1923—and equal rights regardless of s*x still are not explicitly guaranteed in the Constitution.
Economic security: Frances Perkins became the first woman in a presidential Cabinet and helped build Social Security, minimum-wage protections, and limits on child labor.
Equal pay and employment: The Equal Pay Act and Civil Rights Act challenged workplace discrimination, though the wage gap and unequal treatment persist.
Control over our futures: Access to contraception gave women greater freedom to decide whether and when to have children.
Credit, housing, and financial independence: Women secured stronger protections when applying for credit, buying or renting homes, and building lives of their own.
Education and athletics: Title IX opened doors previously closed to women and girls.
Equal participation: Women challenged exclusion from juries, professions, civic organizations, and other centers of influence.
Safe and equal workplaces: Sexual harassment was recognized as a form of s*x discrimination.
Freedom from violence: The Violence Against Women Act strengthened public protections and resources for survivors of domestic and s*xual violence.
Historic representation: Women entered military combat roles, same-s*x couples gained marriage equality, and a woman became vice president.
Rights still at risk: The overturning of Roe v. Wade, unfinished equal-pay protections, and proposed voting restrictions remind us that progress is never guaranteed.
Every right we inherited was won by people who refused to give up. Now those rights are ours to use, defend, and expand.
Don’t leave the next chapter to chance. Vote. Every time.
Created for Women’s Equality Day by the Sullivan County Democratic Party, this video features local women carrying that unfinished work forward in their own communities.
CREDITS
Production of this video paid for by
Sullivan County Democrats
PO Box 88, Acworth, NH 03601
Claudia Istel, Treasurer
In Collaboration with (in order of appearance):
Hope Damon, candidate for Sullivan HD 8
Judy Thackaberry, candidate for Sullivan HD 5
Lisa Gosselin, candidate for Sullivan HD 6
Jenny Ramsey, candidate for Sullivan HD 2
Lisa DeBartolomao, candidate for Sullivan HD 3
Karen Liot Hill, candidate for Executive Council
Sue Prentiss, candidate for SD 5
Filmed and Edited by
Loren Howard, candidate for Register of Probate
Written by
Je Austin, candidate for Register of Deeds
Dr. Misty Hook
Karen Liot Hill Lisa DeBartolomao for NH State Rep; Charlestown, Newport, Unity Senator Sue Prentiss, NH District 5 Jenny Ramsey for NH State Rep Hope for NH
NH House Dems Victory Committee NH Deserves Better NH Senate Democrats NH Democratic Women's Caucus
