DENVER — It's not just about Hillary, it's about all women.

Tuesday marked the 88th anniversary of Women's Equality Day, also known as the date of enactment for the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

At the Democratic National Convention, the anniversary was marked with several events and a roster of female lawmakers taking the convention stage, including a nationally televised speech by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first woman to contend for a major party's presidential nomination.

Lily Ledbetter, a former Goodyear manager who lost a gender discrimination suit seeking back pay, also was given a speaking role as Democrats highlighted pending legislation opposed by presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Jean Haas of Littleton, Colo., 56, an administrative assistant for a female-owned small business, took her 11-year-old twin daughters out of school Tuesday to march in a parade with a group called "18 Million Voices" -- a reference to the 18 million votes Clinton received in the presidential primaries and caucuses.

"I don't believe we've achieved equality," Haas said. "When I have conversations with my nieces who are in their mid-20s, it's stunning to me how they assume having a woman candidate for president is no big deal." It's stunning that it was so few years ago in the 1960s that we were struggling to get some of the things we have now achieved."

The organizers of 18 Million Voices said their parade was a celebration of Clinton's history-making campaign.

And some said that despite her failure to capture the Democratic nomination, her candidacy has brought renewed attention to women's issues such as equal pay, job discrimination, access to health care and child care issues. For example, women working full time in 2007 made 22.2 cents less on the dollar than men, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Later, cable TV's Lifetime Network and EMILY's List held a number of events to draw attention to women's rights, the role of women in politics and to celebrate Clinton's candidacy,

"I'm terribly proud of her and what she achieved," Rep. Louise Slaughter said about Clinton. The 11-term New York Democrat, the second longest-serving woman in the House, said many younger women feel secure about their rights, "but they shouldn't rest a minute. During World War II, women could build ships and fly airplanes. But after the war, they were told to go home and worry about yellow waxy buildup."

Clinton, speaking at the EMILY's List event, urged women to elect Barack Obama as president and suggested that if he falls short on women's issues after being elected president that they contact Michelle Obama.

"I know a little bit about the way the White House works, and if he's not exactly on our side, call the first lady," said the former first lady.

Some women interviewed Tuesday expressed hope that the next Congress might revive the Equal Rights Amendment, which failed to be ratified in the 1970s, in part, because opponents said it would require women to be drafted into the military.

With women now serving in the military in larger numbers and some dying in combat in Iraq as part of an all-volunteer military, that argument may carry less significance today.

"It is possibly going to be alive and kicking in Congress again," said Rosina Rubin, a Clinton delegate from New City, N.Y., who did not participate in the parade. "I think we are really celebrating this year the resurgence of women's consciousness about our political history."

Clinton delegate Cynthia Glozier of Rhinebeck, N.Y. said struggle for equality involves "all family members especially when it comes to how we are going to educate our children, how are we going to have adequate child care and how we are going to have equal pay for equal work."

Some of the women attending the parade remain bitter about the outcome of the Democratic race.

"When you are going to pick an inexperienced black man over a very well-rounded and experienced woman, that tells you something about the good-ol'-boy system, I guess," said Jan Engels of El Paso, Texas.

Reach Brian Tumulty at btumulty@gns.gannett.com