This paper analyzes women in politics. Starting with the suffrage movement, the author describes how women struggled to secure voting rights, then how they were still largely subject to the will of male politicians. The author then discusses the debate surrounding the ERA movement and how that debate culminated into the political activism of the 1960s and 70s. Then, the author describes how political groups such as NOW emerged from this time to not allow only women to play on an even stage as men in public office, but to fight for abortion rights and equal wages. The author closes the piece by discussing how women today are not longer considered a separate class of citizens and can finally start wielding real political power. 13 pgs. Bibliography lists 10 sources.