It was around this time that Gage helped with the new merge of the AWSA and the NWSA. However, the new National American Woman’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA) looked to the WTCU for support. Frances Willard and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WTCU) began to enter the ranks of NWSA. Before this, the NWSA was a fringe movement with outlier members; on the other hand, the WTCU had nearly four times as many supporters and was considered a more acceptable movement for woman to be involved in. Gage was furious at the WTCU’s involvement and “was unwilling to compromise her position on the absolute necessity of religious freedom as a prerequisite for authentic women’s liberation. Specifically, Gage was not interested in forming alliances with
…show more content…
Much more aligned with Gage’s radical beliefs, freethinking supported her desire for woman’s freedom and her crusade to identify “the misogyny of the historical and contemporary Christian Church as one of the great barriers to the cause of women’s freedom” (Grube 1). In 1890, Gage established the Women’s National Liberal Union (WNLU) and its newspaper, The Liberal Thinker. During the founding convention of the WNLU, Gage gave her address “The Dangers of the Hour.” In it, she exclaims the forthcoming fifty-ninth minute of society is upon us and that “Man trained by the church from infancy that woman is secondary and inferior to him, made for him, to be obedient to him, the same idea permeating the Jewish and all Christian churches, all social, industrial and educational life, all civil and religious institutions, it is no subject of astonishment, if one gives a moment’s thought, that woman’s political enfranchisement is so long delayed” (Dangers of the Hour 2). She continues with a look into many dioceses and churches throughout the nation and their histories, and publically states her antagonizing opinion against the …show more content…
Gage’s book sent shockwaves through many communities and cemented her position on the outskirts of society and her exclusion from many historical texts. Gage firmly believed that “the most grievous wrong ever inflicted upon woman has been in the Christian teaching that she was not created equal with man” (Woman, Church, and State 11). She ascertains that “had not man been trained by his religion into a belief that woman was created for him, had not the church for 1,800 and more years preached woman’s moral debasement, the long course of legislation for them as slaves would never have taken place, nor the obstacles in way of change been so numerous and so persistent” (Woman, Church, and State 213). Gage’s belief that Biblical interpretation caused the oppression of woman connects with her rights feminism. Woman deserved the vote because it was their right as people and that it was Christianity that created a patriarchal society whereas many of our histories reflect ancient civilizations led by
Much more aligned with Gage’s radical beliefs, freethinking supported her desire for woman’s freedom and her crusade to identify “the misogyny of the historical and contemporary Christian Church as one of the great barriers to the cause of women’s freedom” (Grube 1). In 1890, Gage established the Women’s National Liberal Union (WNLU) and its newspaper, The Liberal Thinker. During the founding convention of the WNLU, Gage gave her address “The Dangers of the Hour.” In it, she exclaims the forthcoming fifty-ninth minute of society is upon us and that “Man trained by the church from infancy that woman is secondary and inferior to him, made for him, to be obedient to him, the same idea permeating the Jewish and all Christian churches, all social, industrial and educational life, all civil and religious institutions, it is no subject of astonishment, if one gives a moment’s thought, that woman’s political enfranchisement is so long delayed” (Dangers of the Hour 2). She continues with a look into many dioceses and churches throughout the nation and their histories, and publically states her antagonizing opinion against the …show more content…
Gage’s book sent shockwaves through many communities and cemented her position on the outskirts of society and her exclusion from many historical texts. Gage firmly believed that “the most grievous wrong ever inflicted upon woman has been in the Christian teaching that she was not created equal with man” (Woman, Church, and State 11). She ascertains that “had not man been trained by his religion into a belief that woman was created for him, had not the church for 1,800 and more years preached woman’s moral debasement, the long course of legislation for them as slaves would never have taken place, nor the obstacles in way of change been so numerous and so persistent” (Woman, Church, and State 213). Gage’s belief that Biblical interpretation caused the oppression of woman connects with her rights feminism. Woman deserved the vote because it was their right as people and that it was Christianity that created a patriarchal society whereas many of our histories reflect ancient civilizations led by