(no subject)

[slemslempike]

I joined Pimlico library on Sunday, and borrowed a book. Although I fully expect to return it unfinished a week late and pay my fine, I have at least started it. It's The Suffragette Bombers. by Simon Webb. It's positioning the militant women's suffrage movement as terrorists based on their bombing tactics. This could be an interesting approach, building on work that feminist historians have done, debates about the efficacy of the militant approach compared to others, a broader debate about violence and political aims such as that around the ANC, how the winners of history often have their biographies bowlderised to be more palatable (Gandhi, Churchill, and indeed several Pankhursts). After reading a chapter, it is clear that it isn't that.

DID YOU KNOW that some women could vote in some elections before 1918? DID YOU KNOW that not all men were able to vote in general elections in the early 20th century? DID YOU KNOW that the WPSU weren't advocating for all women to get the vote, they only wanted rich upper class women to have it on the same basis as men? Well, yes. And although I will concede that my studies make me more likely to know this than some others, I don't think this is particularly specialist knowledge. I also know, which he explicitly assumes people don't, that the militant wing were not the only way in which women went about trying to get the vote.

He points out that other countries, including those that enfranchised women earlier on, didn't use violence (again, could have been an interesting point of discussion) and takes from this that the suffragettes definitely didn't need to, because things were going along quite nicely without agitation, and women in the Edwardian era were more empowered than ever before. As part of his "women were doing fine and getting on with things quietly" discourse, he cites "Aganata Ramsey" (perhaps better known by her actual name, Agnata Ramsay) as getting such high marks she was awarded a first class degree, where all the men in her year got 2:1 or lower. This is only slightly undermined by the fact that Agnata wasn't actually awarded a degree, indeed couldn't have been, as women weren't allowed them. Additionally, her mark in the examination shuold have given her the poition of "Senior Classic", which she also was not allowed to hold because of her sex.

I have skimmed ahead and find that chapter two includes the brilliant line "Mary Poppins is not alone in the slanted view of history". I look forward to learning more, including whether Bill and Ted unfairly maligned Napoleon.

Comments

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

"Mary Poppins is not alone in the slanted view of history"

How wrong is it that I immediately wanted to know if he meant Travers or Disney? ;-)

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Disney, I assume, think it's about the "Sister Suffragette" song. Who would have thought that DISNEY of all companies would have been so lax in their approach???

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Ha ha! Who is this Webb? I can tell that it's the sort of book to make me scream. Pah.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Apparently he's a journalist, writes for the Guardian among others. It's not a major press.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's a rule of thumb that journalists/critics writing for the Guardian who have the initials S. W. exist only for the mocking at their ability to miss the point, cf. Sam Wollaston, too.

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

including whether Bill and Ted unfairly maligned Napoleon.

I think you mean 'Boll and Tede'.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Hee! That made me properly laugh.

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

Job done.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Bless his little man-splaining cotton socks.

You are very noble in reading and reporting on this so we don't have to.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Well, I have yet to keep going, so it may break me yet.