In honor of Women’s History Month, which started on March 8, I bring you the works of Alice Duer Miller, a feminist writer for the New York Tribune, back in 1915.
I’m rather amazed that any newspaper had a feminist writer back in 1915.
The image below is a poster made from one of Duer’s articles in a collection titled “Are Women People?” The Library of Congress has a copy that you can breeze through.
Here’s the poster. When I first saw it, I thought it was a joke – meaning, someone had photoshopped it and claimed it was “really old.” It is in fact really old. It’s just great. 1915. Wow.
I found two more essays in Duer’s collection that were quite fun as well. Here’s the first: “Why we oppose women travelling in railway trains.”
And here’s another great one: “Why we oppose pockets for women.” Enjoy.
Ask the Irish about Queen Elizabeth I’s reign or the Protestants about Queen Mary’s reign or the Ukrainians about Empress Catherine the Great’s reign. Women can be just as good and just as bad as men.
Ms. Miller’s work is a play on the handbills and screeds posted by the National Association Opposed to Women’s Suffrage. They were constantly putting out these lists that all began with “BECAUSE” — followed by some sexist justification for denying women the right to vote.
Here’s an example:
http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/exhibits/suffrage/images/33900.jpg
Hilarious, brilliant. What a woman!
You were right, thanks. Just updated it. It’s here. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=rbnawsa&fileName=n3348//rbnawsan3348.db&recNum=2&itemLink=r%3Fammem%2Fnawbib%3A%40field%28NUMBER%2B%40od1%28rbnawsa%2Bn3348%29%29&linkText=0
Some of Alice Duer Miller’s books are freely available from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Alice+Duer+Miller
Are Women People? (1915)
Ladies Must Live (1917)
The Happiest Time of Their Lives (1918)
The Beauty and the Bolshevist (1920)
The Sturdy Oak (1917)
Come Out of the Kitchen! (1916)
Just posted it, thanks!
Great stuff! :D
Edit: By the way, John, I think your “Are Women People” link may be borked. It’s returning an error, at least for me.
I have always felt that men should not have the right to vote, however correct I might be – I still allow them that privilege.
Wow I hadn’t heard that one.
John, what gives-I’ve been looking for this posting for several days!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ9_0PIFYJM