One raindrop...

March 10, 1847 - July 13, 1934. Drawing by me on paper, polished up in Procreate.

Kate Shepard was born in England in 1847 but moved with her family to New Zealand as a young adult. There she became active in the women’s movements and eventually became leader of the suffrage campaign. Over several years, she supported women’s rights issues, including contraception, the right to divorce, the guardianship of children, and the abolishment of the uncomfortable and restricting corsets women were expected to wear. She also continuously promoted bicycling and other physical activities for women.

Kate had good support from her husband. She made speeches, sent out pamphlets, and collected signatures on petitions for the rights of women. Despite setbacks, she forged ahead until one petition, wit over 30,000 signatures led to the the right to vote for women, the first country in the world to grant it.

Her images on the New Zealand ten-dollar bill in commemoration of her achievements.