Grand Old Women and Modern Girls | Corinne T. Field || Radcliffe Institute | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

This analysis explores the intersection of age and power in US women's rights from 1870 to 1920, focusing on leaders like Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman and their efforts to challenge cultural perceptions of old age. Key insights include the influence of cultural definitions of age on women's political participation, the role of birthdays in elevating women leaders, and the continued struggle for gender equality in politics.

Transcript

• So today, I want to talk about the intersection of age and power in US women's rights arguments from 1870 to 1920. I'm going to draw on archival sources that are in the Schlesinger Library here at Radcliffe's, especially those that look at the antislavery and women's rights activists Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman. And then after my talk, we... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤕 Age is a culturally defined category that intersects with power dynamics.
• 👵 Women in the suffrage movement challenged cultural expectations by celebrating birthdays and highlighting the value of older women.
• 🧔‍♀️ Cultural stereotypes and prejudices hindered women's recognition as political leaders.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did cultural definitions of age affect women's political participation during the 19th and early 20th centuries?

Cultural definitions of age influenced women's political participation by creating expectations and stereotypes, such as the idea that women became "old maids" at 30. This limited women's opportunities for political leadership and pushed them to the background of their family circles as they aged.

Q: How did suffragists challenge cultural perceptions of old age?

Suffragists challenged cultural perceptions of old age by celebrating the birthdays of leaders like Susan B. Anthony, who proclaimed her age of 50 in 1870. They used birthdays to assert the value and leadership abilities of older women, claiming that age brought wisdom and experience.

Q: How did suffragists use birthdays to promote their cause?

Suffragists used birthdays as fundraising events and opportunities to raise awareness about women's suffrage. They often organized public celebrations and invited prominent individuals to support the cause. Birthdays became a way to gather resources and generate positive publicity for the suffrage movement.

Q: Did suffragists succeed in convincing Americans to view older women as potential national leaders?

While suffragists were able to elevate older women like Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman as national leaders within their movement, convincing broader American society to see them as potential political leaders was more difficult. Stereotypes and prejudices based on age, race, and gender hindered their recognition as political equals to white male leaders.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The analysis discusses the intersection of age and power in US women's rights between 1870 and 1920, highlighting the contributions of Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman.

• It explores the ways in which cultural definitions of age affected women's political participation and highlights the role of birthdays in elevating women leaders.

• The analysis emphasizes the ongoing struggle for gender equality in politics and calls for a new politics of women's midlife empowerment.