Leading the Way

A comprehensive history of the struggle for women's suffrage in New Zealand, including short biographies of the main people involved. In 1893, wearing white camellias meant you supported women's right to vote - a red camellia in your lapel signalled the opposite. In 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the vote, a milestone of which we are justly proud, but it wasn't easily achieved. the struggle was protracted and often bitter. the resolve and strength of the women involved were sorely tested, as their determination to have equality and the right to vote brought out the worst in their opponents. In LEADING tHE WAY, respected historian Megan Hutching tells the story of this momentous event, including profiles of some of the women who brought about such a massive social upheaval by changing the minds and hearts of the politicians. Among them are names you will recognise, while others will be less well known. they are some of the women who helped our great-grandmothers put aside their aprons and become enfranchised citizens of this country. their stories are an important part of our history as a socially progressive country, and their courage, loyalty and fierce belief in democracy still resonate today.
Megan Hutching's most recent book was OVER tHE WIDE AND tRACKLESS SEA, a history of women pioneers in New Zealand. Author of six books of oral histories of the Second World War, as part of the 'New Zealanders Remember' series, she has an abiding interest in writing about the extraordinary lives of New Zealand women.