Civil Disobedience In The Film Sister's Uncut

John Rawls was a famous political and moral philosopher who believed strongly in civil disobedience. He once said, “Civil disobedience is essentially disobedience to law within fidelity to law rather than disobedience directed against the law itself” (Buttle 650). The women’s right activist group, Sister’s Uncut, staged a protest at the movie premiere of Suffragette in London. Suffragette was supposed to be a ground breaking feminist film about English women suffragists. During the 19th century the suffrage movement began. Women were protesting and trying to gain the right to vote and be able to run for office. This movie gave insight to what it would have been like trying to pursue these rights. Sister’s Uncut felt that it would be the perfect

John Rawls believes that civil disobedience is just questioning what the law has in order and acting out on that question without breaking the actual law (Buttle 650). Sister’s Uncut is just trying to figure out why the government would take away something so beneficial and their way of showing it, it by protest. Protest is a simple way to let people know about what is really going on and why it should be addressed. The women just stormed the premiere and chanted in front of press and celebrities to raise awareness (Morrison 1). The disobedience was not directed toward the law itself but they knew how far they could go. By going to the premiere of a popular movie that would bring light to issue due to media. They were not punished, just escorted to leave because no form of the law was broken. However, they were ready for punishment but it was justified as civil (Buttle 652). Since there was no law broken there was no punishment to be given. It just interrupted the events of the night. This act justifies civil disobedience because it shows that an act of violence does not need to take place. Sister’s Uncut has been protesting to stop government cuts to domestic violence help but they have not yet succeeded with receiving those funds back. They have been a feminist group since the early 20th century when women were trying gain voting rights but now that they have been given those rights they are tending to another issue they feel is important in their community. Civil disobedience is happening all around the world it is just a matter of how the situation is taken