To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done For America - A HistoryA unique and “often quite moving” look at gay women’s role in US history (The Washington Post). In this “essential and impassioned addition to American history,” the three-time Lambda Literary Award winner and author of Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers focuses on a select group of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century lesbians who were in the forefront of the battle to procure the rights and privileges that large numbers of Americans enjoy today (Kirkus Reviews). Hoping to “set the record straight (or, in this case, unstraight)” for all Americans and provide a “usable past” for lesbians in particular, Lillian Faderman persuasively argues that the sexual orientation of her subjects may in fact have facilitated their accomplishments. With impeccably drawn portraits of such seminal figures as Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Eleanor Roosevelt, To Believe in Women “will raise eyebrows and consciousness” (Dianne Wood Middlebrook). As Faderman writes in her introduction, “This is a book about how millions of American women became what they are now: full citizens, educated, and capable of earning a decent living for themselves.” A landmark work of impeccable research and compelling readability, To Believe in Women is an enlightening and surprising read. “For those who need a dose of pride and a slice of history, Faderman’s portraits should strike a popular note. ‘To Believe in Women’ is a decent starting point for learning about these pioneers and their contributions to American life.” —The New York Times |
Contents
| 13 | |
II How America Got a Social Conscience | 97 |
III How Americon Women Got Educated | 173 |
IV How Americon Women Got into the Professions | 253 |
Back Matter | 349 |
Back Cover | 435 |
Spine | 436 |
Other editions - View all
To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done for America : a History Lillian Faderman No preview available - 2000 |
To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done for America--a History Lillian Faderman No preview available - 1999 |
To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done for America--a History Lillian Faderman No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
African-American Alice Stone Blackwell American women Anna Howard Shaw Anna Shaw became believed Blackwell Family Papers Bryn Mawr career Carey Thomas Carrie Chapman Catt Cushier dear death Dewson domestic early Eleanor Roosevelt Elizabeth Blackwell Ellen Emily Blackwell Ethel example feel feminine feminism feminist Florence Allen folder Frances Kellor gender girls graduates heterosexual higher education History homosexual Hull House husband Ibid Jane Addams Journal Kitty labor leaders lesbian letters lived Lucy Anthony male married Mary Dreier Mary Garrett Mary Woolley masculine Mildred Mollie Hay Mount Holyoke National NAWSA never nineteenth century Olmsted organization partner passion percent pioneers political president profession professional Quoted reel reform relationship role romantic friendship Ruth sexologists sexual Shaw's social Starr suffrage movement suffragists Susan tion twentieth century University Press Vassar vote Wellesley Woman Suffrage women's rights workers wrote WTUL York young women
Popular passages
Page 18 - ... assemblage of rampant women which convened at the Tabernacle yesterday was an interesting phase in the comic history of the nineteenth century.
Page 8 - Two selfsupporting adults decide to make a home together: if both are women it is a pleasant partnership, more fun than work; if one is a man, it is almost never a partnership — the woman simply adds running the home to her regular outside job.
Page 26 - The sunniest of sunny mornings to you, how are you today? Well and happy, I hope. To tell the truth I want to see you very much indeed, to hold your hand in mine, to hear your voice, in a word, I want you — I can't have you? Well, I will at least put down a little fragment of my foolish self and send it to look up at you...