January 16th, 1895 — Voter Registration Ceremonial Opening

After the holiday season and her tea, Thomasina would have very happily avoided any public events for the rest of the month, but that was not really an option for her anymore. This event, though, was an exception. She had gone to Ozymandias' office before the ceremony began, to make sure all of her talking points were fully approved.

Thomasina went down to the atrium slightly early, managed to maintain a lightly pleasant expression as the Daily Prophet took various photos, and signed her name with the absurdly large quill. (It made her signature wobblier than usual — normal quills weren't like this.)

She exhaled with some relief when it was done, and was ready to leave, but found herself asked questions.

"Oh," Sina said, blinking owlishly at the person who'd asked her. "I suppose I feel — honored? Registering was very easy, with my work paperwork. I'm glad to do it."

  

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set by MJ

Calvin wouldn't have attended for his own sake. He recognized it for what it was: an empty publicity stunt. He'd said as much to his sister when she had announced (not asked) that they were going. But it's symbolic, Cal, she'd argued. Symbolic actions have value, too. And then she had proceeded to lecture him on the value of having progressive actions take place in full view of society, loudly and unapologetically, so as to inspire future change and build momentum — as though he didn't already know all of that. He allowed her to lecture, and he'd agreed to come along, even though it meant switching shifts with the other coroner to have the time free.

(Privately he was gratified that she had been so insistent. He would have been here even if his sister hadn't demanded it, despite his weak protests. There was a chance Tess Whitby would be here, and there was a chance she would bring her sister, and he wasn't going to pass that up. Without the excuse of his sister's enthusiasm he would have had to feign some of his own to explain his presence here).

It had been his sister's idea to try and talk to Mrs. Dempsey. Calvin would never, because it wasn't as though there was any mystery in what she was going to say. It had all been perfectly rehearsed, he was sure. She felt honored. Of course she did.

"— But not everyone can be a healer," he pointed out. His sister, a little starstruck with Mrs. Dempsey and probably content to take I'm glad as a reasonable response to her question, shot him a death glare.

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Sina caught the younger woman's glare at the man, no doubt a silent way of chiding a brother or husband. She smiled beatifically at the man's statement, as she had been encouraged to do when interacting with those who did not think the law went far enough.

"I have found being a healer — or seeking other forms of gainful employment — to be more accessible than becoming a man," Thomasina offered mildly.

  

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set by MJ

Calvin shrugged. It was impossible to argue with that, but it also wasn't his point. He was sure Mrs. Dempsey knew that; she was a healer and everything he knew about her implied she was intelligent. Surely she couldn't have been happy with this voting bill as a final destination? Or maybe she didn't care, since she had the right to vote now. The more money someone had, the harder it was for them to care about other people, Calvin had noticed. The Dempseys certainly had a lot of money.

"Are all your sisters going to start at the hospital soon, then?" he asked. He thought Mrs. Dempsey might not care about the scores of working class women who did have employment but would still be excluded, because their employers wouldn't care to recommend them — most domestic labor probably fell into that category. But maybe she might care that there were four Dempsey and one Pomfrey sister who were still excluded by this?

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Ah, another trap. She had been told not to respond to these in too snarky a fashion, but it was difficult to avoid. "One would likely be better off asking my sisters that question," Thomasina suggested. Christabel would certainly benefit from a job to fill her days, and she would be thrilled if Ani became a healer. But it was up to them, wasn't it? It had been up to Sina to pursue healing in the first place.

  

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set by MJ

Calvin pursed his lips. He was frustrated by this response and showed it. She was being flippant, but he supposed she didn't care how she came across, because she was never going to run for re-election and so wasn't courting his vote. Her husband would have at least pretended to care about the concern he'd raised, probably... though he'd never talked to the Minister, so he was speculating there. It seemed like something a politician would do, pretend to care for the length of the conversation just to leave someone with a good taste in their mouth when they walked away. Still, annoyed as he was by her non-answer, he wasn't inclined to pick a fight with the Minister of Magic's wife in the Atrium, in front of a crowd of reporters and supporters.

(Though Tess Whitby might appreciate if he did, he considered, and he knew Saffron cared terribly about her oldest sister's opinions when it came to the world and the people in it).

"For women with less supportive parents," he pointed out, quietly enough that it was almost beneath his breath, "There's no path to suffrage, even if they want it." Some women didn't have the chance at a career; they might be married off straight from Hogwarts, or even removed in favor of finishing school before they received the OWLs or NEWTs they would need to get a career of their own. And once they were married... well, most women wouldn't own property while their husbands were alive, so there went all their chances of participating in democracy.

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