Ep. 002 – When Literature Became a Weapon
In the battle for women’s suffrage, Elizabeth and some friends formed the Women Writers Suffrage League. Their weapon? The pen. Over the next decade the group would flood the market with suffrage literature of all types such as plays, novels, editorials, and poetry. How did they come up with this strategy? And more importantly, did it work?
Dive into some of Natalie’s favorite Suffrage literature:
Elizabeth’s play– Votes for Women!
Elizabeth’s novel– The Convert
Elizabeth’s essays– Way Stations
Suffrage Collection– Treacherous Texts
Virginia Woolf’s– Night and Day
Listen to the full episode: Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon
Have you ever spoken and not been heard?
I can think of a few times for myself:
at Niagara Falls with my family
with Mike and Jane O’Malley in Toronto when Paul MacCartney came on stage
Christmas mornings with my nine siblings, parents, and others brave enough to enter the space
several City Council meetings when a politician controlled the space through cruel words or refusal to move past debate by slogans
other City Council meetings when I didn’t articulate my position well
when I told the kids it was time for dinner while they were playing Mario Kart. Because. Mario Kart.
Sometimes we aren’t heard because of other noise around us. Sometimes we aren’t heard because we do not get the necessary attention of the person we want to communicate with. Sometimes we aren’t heard because others control the space. Sometimes we aren’t heard because we don’t communicate well. So if we don’t feel heard and want to change that, the first step is identifying the problem.
Suffragists had been speaking for over sixty years in 1908 and they did not feel heard. So Cicely Hamilton and Bessie Hatton formed the Women Writers Suffrage League (WWSL) and Elizabeth Robins was elected President. Elizabeth had recently published her hit play, Votes for Women!, and the league capitalized on her popularity to recruit membership. They worked closely with the Actresses’ Franchise League, performing plays and pageants and raising funds for the suffrage cause.
- Natalie
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Credits:
References to Elizabeth Robins work printed/quoted with kind permission of Independent Age (Registered Charity No. 210729). Visit www.independentage.org to learn more.
Producer & Editor Lief Thomason, Odd Life Studios
Recorded at Profound Revelation Studios
Graphic Designer Barry Meindl, DaBarr Design
Web Designer and Social Media Manager Allisa Babor, Roots Creative Co
“Time is Whispering” Writer and Recording Artist Randi Olsen, Live Oak Theatre
Grant funding assistance by Florida Humanities
Rights to Elizabeth Robins materials owned by Independent Age
Host Natalie Kahler Natalie Kahler | Facebook
