Blog #4

Textbook

1. The main concept of the ideology of “true womanhood” was that men and women were completely separate, in different spheres, and should not cross over or outside of their place. A woman’s place was in the home, doing domestic duties and staying outside of the private sphere where men took care of business, politics, and the labor force. Because mostly white women were able to stay inside these gender norms, the structure of classes was created. White women, who could stay home and tend to children while their husbands worked, became the middle class. Of course the slaves, who often worked in labor fields, with no separation of gender, became the lower class; and often thought so because of their lack of moral values.
2. The Lowell mills girls were the pioneers of introducing women into the workforce in the 1820’s. Working in textile factories, women were now undoubtedly contributing to the economy and moving outside of their domestic roles. Since so many of these women, or girls, were unmarried, they were seen and understood as independent. These women were also giving other women hope with the “possibilities of personal independence and economic contribution for their sex” (148). Although women working in factories did earn wages, they were less than what men earned. Women were able to strike against unjust wages, leading them into more politically active roles in society.

Source Interpretation

1. Sanger’s view of the moral nature of women was that women were held by virtue and reason. Men were also held by this view but not often held accountable for their actions and aggressions when it came to female prostitution. It was thought that no women would “voluntarily surrender herself without some powerful motive” (171). Sanger felt that because of women’s moral nature, she would only succumb to prostitution through weakness and destitution. Sanger also believed that although women did have sexual desires, they were subconscious like, or in a “slumbering state until aroused by some outside influence” (170). This thought goes along with a women’s virtue being seen as innocent and chaste.
2. Sanger has a list of causes for prostitution but the most popular reasons are inclination and destitution. The inclinations of a woman to become a prostitute relied on her willingness and want to be one. A woman’s need to satisfy her sexual desires was at the forefront for these reasons. Another reason one woman became a prostitute was so she could have liquor. Another was the persuasion that if you did become a prostitute, you would be able to live an “easy, merry life” (171). The consequences for the cause of inclination were just as harsh as others. Some women were left by their husbands, others who did want to satisfy sexual desires were not rightfully acknowledged as sexually free but instead as slaves to passions and male aggressors. Destitution, which was the most common cause stemmed from a women’s inability to care for herself or others, leaving her no choice but to enter into prostitution or die. The consequences of this were more emotionally hard on women. The fear, shame and guilt of loosing ones innocence, especially at a young age, and not being able to find work after prostitution, were the greatest consequences of all.