Feminist Reform Research Articles

True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society

True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society

True Love and Perfect Union. The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society, by William Leach

<i>True Love and Perfect Union. The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society</i>, by William Leach

True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society. William Leach

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsTrue Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society. William Leach Eli ZaretskyEli Zaretsky Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Signs Volume 7, Number 1Autumn, 1981 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/493873 Views: 2Total views on this site Copyright 1981 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society

True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society

The Women's Movement during the Reign of Alexander II: A Case Study in Russian Liberalism

During the reign of Alexander II (1855-81), the Russian women's movement was more successful than any other in Europe. Russian women dramatically expanded their educational and employment opportunities and thereby severed the traditional equation of woman with wife and mother. They emphasized that rights to study and to work were social and economic necessities, not feminist ideals. It was argued that Russia was a backward country desperate for doctors, teachers and technicians, and women needed employment for survival. This strategy proved more opportune than the general European stress on the acquisition of civil and political rights and was in large measure responsible for the greater success of the Russian movement. Lhe women's movement also provides an unexplored example of Russian liberalism. Although Russian women are more celebrated for their revolutionary activity, this faction remained a minority in the movement until the turn of the century. During the period under consideration, liberal tactics were employed with startling success. The general public initiated feminist reforms that were considered progressive not only in Russia but throughout

Moral Reform and Feminism: A Case Study

For the uninitiated the subject of moral reform appears to be a topic best suited for examining the traditional view of the Latin American woman: that of a female preoccupied with sin and salvation and with no interest in the world outside the home or increased rights for her sex. Closer investigation reveals, however, that moral reform movements often have indicated women's active presence and concern about the direction of a nation's social policies and customs. (Addams, 1912: 160-195; Davis, 1973; Smith-Rosenberg, 1971: 381-385, 562-564). Involvement in moral reform activities often but not always has meant that a woman considered herself a feminist and believed that the goals of these two movements were inextricably linked together. In order to explore these two hypotheses, this essay will focus on Paulina Luisi (1875-1950), an Uruguayan doctor whose lifelong dedication to moral reform and feminism earned her an international reputation as a fighter for one sexual moral standard and women's rights (Mapons, 1950; Scarone, 1937: 284-289). Examining her extensive writings and many projects provides an excellent insight into two movements which claimed the loyalty of numerous women activists, both bourgeois and socialist, in Latin America, Europe, and the United States (Addams, 1912; Chataway, 1962; Lloyd, 1971; Luisi, 1948). Given the Latin American context and the time period, Luisi can be seen as a major figure in the international feminist and moral reform movements.