Women Fighting for Equality in Their Devilish Ways How can a woman become devilish? According to the book Shame the Devil, by Debra Brenegan, Sara Payson Willis had the devils wickedness in her because she “…wiggled during prayers, interrupted conversations, asked too many questions…” (1) Sara did not possess the feminine qualities like modesty, humility, piety, weakness and submissiveness. She was strong, independent and outspoken and these qualities made her a devilish woman in the 1800s. (Brenegan, 1) Devilish women, like Sara (Fanny Fern), challenged the traditional gender norms and stood up for women’s rights by making their voices heard either by the power of their pens, actions, and/or speeches. Women reformers attempted to challenge
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Fanny Fern for example used her pen to voice her opinion on subjects pertaining to society and women. For example, in Fanny Ferns December 18th, 1852 article, in the Olive Branch, discussed female rights as stated, “…female rights is a debatable ground…granted we had rights, the more we demand, the more we shan’t get’em…”(Brenegan, 54) Catherine Beecher was a woman that helped build women colleges. She believed that education was the key to women’s liberation and if women were educated, like men, they would better understand the powers that control them. With this knowledge women would be able to be free from the bondage of men. (Brenegan, 41) Another amazing woman that helped crusade for women’s rights was Sojourner Truth as she made her famous speech on May 1851. Sojourner Truth was not only fighting for women’s rights, but she was fighting for black women’s rights and black rights. Sojourner Truth revealed how “The fight for women’s rights and the fight for colored’s rights was the fight for the people’s rights,” which was the fight for equality. (Brenegan, …show more content…
These women were seen as scandalous because they were stepping out of their roles that society placed them in. These women were fighting for the rights and freedom they dissevered just like the Patriots fought for their freedom during the revolutionary war. The difference between the Patriots and women reformers was that the women were seen as devilish and scandalous. For example, Fanny Fern was described as “…unwomanly because she wrote about tough issues. She was unfeminine because she wrote about those issues plainly. She was ungodly because her frank writing often veered toward sarcasm and her wit...” (Brenegan, 41) Fanny Fern was the definition of scandalous with her untamed demeanor and boldness. While, Catherine Beecher was not as outspoken as Fanny, but she did take action by building women colleges in order to educate and liberate women, which was scandalous because this would lessen the control that men had over their women. (Brenegan, 41) Sojourner Truth was scandalous in a different way because she was not only a woman, but she was a colored woman and colored women did not get pampered like white women. Colored women had to work like and man and like a woman, but did not receive the respect or rights of either. Black women were considered the lowest social status of all and by Sojourner Truth fighting for their rights was
Fanny Fern for example used her pen to voice her opinion on subjects pertaining to society and women. For example, in Fanny Ferns December 18th, 1852 article, in the Olive Branch, discussed female rights as stated, “…female rights is a debatable ground…granted we had rights, the more we demand, the more we shan’t get’em…”(Brenegan, 54) Catherine Beecher was a woman that helped build women colleges. She believed that education was the key to women’s liberation and if women were educated, like men, they would better understand the powers that control them. With this knowledge women would be able to be free from the bondage of men. (Brenegan, 41) Another amazing woman that helped crusade for women’s rights was Sojourner Truth as she made her famous speech on May 1851. Sojourner Truth was not only fighting for women’s rights, but she was fighting for black women’s rights and black rights. Sojourner Truth revealed how “The fight for women’s rights and the fight for colored’s rights was the fight for the people’s rights,” which was the fight for equality. (Brenegan, …show more content…
These women were seen as scandalous because they were stepping out of their roles that society placed them in. These women were fighting for the rights and freedom they dissevered just like the Patriots fought for their freedom during the revolutionary war. The difference between the Patriots and women reformers was that the women were seen as devilish and scandalous. For example, Fanny Fern was described as “…unwomanly because she wrote about tough issues. She was unfeminine because she wrote about those issues plainly. She was ungodly because her frank writing often veered toward sarcasm and her wit...” (Brenegan, 41) Fanny Fern was the definition of scandalous with her untamed demeanor and boldness. While, Catherine Beecher was not as outspoken as Fanny, but she did take action by building women colleges in order to educate and liberate women, which was scandalous because this would lessen the control that men had over their women. (Brenegan, 41) Sojourner Truth was scandalous in a different way because she was not only a woman, but she was a colored woman and colored women did not get pampered like white women. Colored women had to work like and man and like a woman, but did not receive the respect or rights of either. Black women were considered the lowest social status of all and by Sojourner Truth fighting for their rights was