Feminist and anti-feminist encounters in Edwardian Britain*

Abstract

This article highlights anti-feminism as a neglected source in British debates about gender in the early twentieth century. It examines Edwardian feminism and anti-feminism within the ‘little magazines’ of ‘advanced’ or modernist circles, and explores the lack of conceptual distinctness of thinkers who identified themselves, or have been subsequently identified, as on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Through an examination of articles within the English Review and the New Age, the author argues that Edwardian anti-feminists were not, as they have been frequently portrayed, firmly reactionary, inhabiting a polarized position in relation to feminism. Nor can the idea of ‘separate spheres’ sum up their beliefs. Instead, a shared set of ideas about gender emerged within these texts, as well as a playful ambiguity around the identities of ‘feminist’ and ‘anti-feminist’. The author calls for more attention to the self-description of historical subjects in identifying their politics, as well as greater awareness of the nuances of their arguments, thus preventing a tendency to identify all culturally and politically active Edwardian women as feminists.