Today in 1920 American women were finally granted the constitutional guarantee of a right to vote* — the 17th nation to do provide gender equality in the voting booth. The process had taken 72 years. The 19th Amendment reads:

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

I’d like to take the opportunity today to thank the women (and men) who came before me who worked hard so that I have the right to vote. The reality of the matter is that while I, as a D.C. voter, still lack Congressional representation, I do not lack voting rights in presidential races nor in local politics.

And remember — if you have the legal right to vote and you do not take advantage of it, you don’t get the right to complain.

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*While technically all women were given the right to vote in 1920, the fact remains that many minority women did not gain their suffrage until the 1960s.