Women Archives ~ Not Good At Normal

March 17, 2021July 1, 2021

Hysteria: What the Diagnosis really meant.

While doing research for the last blog, Women in St.Louis, I learned about The Social Evil and the hospital for women and all the implications thereof. So much info, I had to write a blog about it. Women were diagnosed with ‘hysteria’ up until 1980, when it was removed from the medical terminology as a disorder. It was really a general diagnosis when no other would suffice. Mostly anxiety or nervousness would be happening, but no one knew why.

A woman who was irritable, fainted, or had a loss of appetite. Hysteria. A woman who was sexually forward or enjoyed it, or who didn’t. Hysteria. Any woman who did not act like a proper woman, made a scene or was out of line and different were all thought to have hysteria.

Truth and History Behind Hysteria

The real reason so many women were diagnosed with hysteria was because her husband or father could not control her. She would ‘have a mind of her own’ ‘wasn’t thinking straight’ or ‘proper women don’t behave like that’ or even possessed. Men were scared of a strong woman and didn’t want to be thought of as not being able to control or keep quiet, his woman. Sometimes, if a woman caught her husband having an affair, he would say she was hysterical and have her committed.

Close to home, I pass the second oldest mental institution in Missouri, almost daily.

For hundreds of years this catch all diagnosis was used and a wide range of ‘treatments’ were given as a ‘cure’. It was thought that this woman’s disease was due to the uterus. It was thought the uterus moved around in the body. In ancient Greece, the uterus was described as “an animal within an animal” and was “sad and unfortunate when not joined with a male or bears child”. It was chronic and common. Mostly it was synonymous with normal functioning female sexuality. Often times the woman diagnosed was placed into an insane asylum.

The St. Louis Lunatic Asylum was built in 1869 and was an architectural dream built on the highest point of land in the city(at the time it was considered the county). The Dome was fashioned after the White house and only one other remains in the area, atop the Old Courthouse in downtown. I often drive by and wonder how many women were sent here because their husband’s couldn’t, or wouldn’t, deal with them.

The Cure

Several horrific and gruesome things have been done in the name of science and medicine to women as a ‘treatment or cure’. The simplest was scent therapy whereby good smells were placed under the genitals and bad odors at the nose. (who went to school for this?!) Rubbing ointments, sexual intercourse, and fulfilment of natural desire. The fact that these doctors thought nothing of virtually rapeing women in the name medicine! Some treatments also included electroshock therapy, water massage, manual stimulation and lobotomy. A transorbital lobotomy was like an ice pick going through the eye cavity to cut certain nerves in the brain. Some patients were tied to beds, and given medication.

Behind Closed Doors

What went on behind the locked doors of insane asylums? There has been much written about and sensationalized into dramatic movies, one that comes to mind is the movie Frances Farmer, based loosely on books about and by Frances. She was an actress in the 1940’s and was institutionalized several times. She was different, and did not conform to the gentile way a woman should behave. The book is a good read. Did it all happen? Only those there know for sure.

Actress Frances Farmer wrote a book about her experiences called Will There Really be a Morning

In 1887 a female journalist went undercover for 10 days in an asylum and wrote about her experiences. Nellie Bly used an assumed name and began the saga. She saw women beaten and without covering when cold. Tied down if they were thought to be violent. Given only tea and bread to eat and hit if they didn’t eat. Cold communal baths, threats of sexual violence and crowded conditions of 1,600 patients in a hospital meant to hold only 1,000.

Sadly there are other ways women are kept ‘in line’ today. Not given promotions when of childbearing years, real illnesses not take seriously, thought of as too emotional. Some say not pretty enough or too manly, women shouldn’t have muscles and women tear down other women. Where does it end? History should be our guide. Learn from it and move forward better for knowing what not to do. Drop a comment what ways you still find this happening or what you want to read about next. Share the love.

March 16, 2021March 20, 2021

Extraordinary Women: A Brief History of St. Louis Women

St. Louis: The Gateway to the West

St. Louis may be known as the gateway to the west or the beer capital of America, but the history of the area is much richer and more interesting. While there are extraordinary women all throughout history, when looking at the whole picture, some amazing women stand out. Doing research for this blog, gathering information from various sources and my own knowledge, it became clear: There really is no written history of the contributions of women to our great city.

First Mayor

Via City of St. Louis~ Honorable Mayor Lyda Krewson.

It was not until 2017 that St. Louis elected its first mayor, Lyda Krewson. Who is not running for reelection. It was 2020 before the first woman was elected for United States Congress to represent St. Louis for the state, Rep. Cori Bush. In 2021 a new mayor will be elected and she too will be a woman.

Sure there are a handful of well known women who were born in or call St. Louis home, even if for a little while. The dancer Josephine Baker, singer Tina Turner, Maya Angelou and Betty Grable to name a few. But a deep dive was needed to uncover those who helped shape the city. Even the state of Missouri, as there isn’t enough info on women of St. Louis alone. So we will discuss those that we found that had a lasting impact.

A Most Extraordinary Woman

As far back as the 1700’s we have three women who owned property. Not just any women either. Free women of color in French colonial times in the area while under the French and Spanish laws. This was at a time when most women could not own property unless they were married. Not much else is know about Ester, Franiose and Jeannette, but its important to add them. They couldn’t vote or have many other rights, but owning land was not common.

Early suffragette, Virginia Minor, while living in St. Louis, was an officer in the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. During the presidential election of 1872, Minor went to register to vote and was refused by a ward registar. She and her husband sued him( Minor v. Happersett) Virginia started the movement in St. Louis and helped found the Women’s Suffrage Association of Missouri. Thus a full two years before Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony started the National Woman’s Suffrage Association.

Virginia Louisa Minor, an extraordinary woman.

Virginia Minor’s case was based on the 14th amendment. The amendment that stated “no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States, nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”. ~this meaning All persons born in the United states, were not to be denied the rights given to them as citizens. ALL Persons and that is where she hung her hat. She was a person, She was born in the United States and She was being denied the right to register to vote. In Missouri, as in many other states at the time, women could not own property in their name, nor could they file a lawsuit, or be counted as a person or vote.. Legally, women were treated as property or as children. One lawmaker even said Women were dead to the law. SIDEBAR(see end for Evil Hospital)

As luck would have it…

Virginia was married to a lawyer. It was both Virginia and her husband Francis that took the suit to the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit was thrown out as having no merit based on the assumption that the 14th amendment did not state voting as a right of citizenship. This did not stop Virginia. She would later not pay her taxes because, being a woman, she was counted as a ‘femme covert’ legal doctrine, meaning she could not own money, so legally, she did not have to pay taxes. The MO legislature, being held by all men, did not rule in her favor. Curiously because, it was by law her husband’s money, but she was held liable for it! Nothing like hypocrisy of men and politicians. Virginia Minor did not live to see Missouri become the 11th state to ratify the 19th amendment.

Other well known women

Susan Blow opened and ran the first public kindergarten in 1873. As a child, her home on the Mississippi riverfront was burned in the great fire and she lived through the cholera epidemic.

“If we can make children love intellectual effort, we shall prolong habits of study beyond school years”.

Harriet Woods became the first Lt. Governor in 1984, after getting her start in local politics. Jean Carnahan was elected the first female U.S Senator. Phoebe Couzins was the first US Marshal and the second female lawyer in the country, her mother, Adeline was an early suffragette. Margaret Bush Wilson was a lawyer and civil rights activist and the second person of color to practice law in Missouri. Virginia Masters, Sheryl Crow, Sara Evans, Rose O’Neal(illustrator of Kewpie dolls + suffragette), Jean Harlow, Phyllis Diller, Joyce Meyer and many more from the great state and everyday extraordinary women.

The Social Evil

When I first learned about this hospital, I thought it a joke. It was on a map I was researching for breweries in STL. In 1870, the boards of Health and St. Louis Police Commissioners initiated the Social Evil ordinance in an effort control and regulate prostitution. Taxing the brothels and women. Police were to visit brothels with a doctor to test and identify those infected with diseases and were then sent to the city hospital. When that proved to much, they established a separate hospital for prostitutes and a house of industry where they could be trained in vocational skills. This was called the Social Evil Hospital which opened in 1872. It soon became the Female Hospital for women and the training part closed. Evil women…how about curing the men from straying from their wives? In 1864 in England a similar experiment took place where women were tested for STD and locked away in ‘The Lock’ hospitals. Thus being why this experiment failed. The site of the hospital is now a park.

All through history, women are the ones expected to change, to get along. Not to speak out or not to walk alone at night, change our behaviour and men will not need to change theirs. We need More extraordinary women to keep up the right for equality. Remember, the Equal Rights Amendment has still not been ratified by all states needed to make it into law!?! Crazy right, 2021 and women do not have, by law, equal protection.(MO not one of the states to ratify). What are your thoughts? Who is a woman in MO history or history in general that you find extraordinary? Leave a comment.Video coming soon.

November 21, 2019January 13, 2020

The Year of the Woman

1959 is calling. Are we heading backward? Women empowerment

Why do we have a year of the woman? Wasn’t last year the year of the woman? Why do we even need a year to celebrate women or a day? We shouldn’t have to point out “the first woman to _____”fill in the blank. We shouldn’t have to empower women, but we do. We need to.

Percent of female to male police officers.

Workforce- gender equality

Women make up 51% of the population. We are the fastest growing segment of the workforce. Yet in every way and every day we are told we are less. Less important, less worthy. Look at professional sports. The few that have a woman’s league only basket ball will have an occasional game televised. They get paid far less than their male counterparts and have far fewer opportunities for sponsorship. It’s also reinforced daily as men are promoted over women for fear women take too much time off work for family. Women make far less than men in the same positions.

Everyday objects

Furniture, cabinets, pant pockets and cars, all are made for the average 6’1″ 220 pound man. Cars particularly, even the smaller ones, are built for men. Cabinets are placed high on the wall. Pockets in menswear are larger (if women’s clothes even have pockets). Men being the ‘Default’ design. Women pay more for razors and deodorant and other products. But no more material or chemicals are used in manufacturing them. Its called gender pricing.

Role models

Where are the strong female role models? What do girls see? A bank president, CEO, congressman? You think of a man. How about Dr., lawyer, police officer or astronaut? Again men. You can add mechanic and pilot. Tell a girl she can do anything and she will grow up doing just that!

Where does it start?

Where does it all start? In school, at home? Certainly carried over into business environments. Soften your edges, act like you don’t know as much as a man, make the man feel like he is important. Play along to get along. WHY? This is so counter productive to teach young girls, but it still is. We can talk all we want, girls will see our behavior.

I believe Martina is in this list only because she raised an issue about only one female out of 44 males in a playlist earlier this year.

2019

It’s 2019 and this is the first year a woman was nominated for a musician of the year award, an industry dominated by men. (She won, BTW! Jenee Fleenor) For every 10 songs on country radio, you will hear only one by a female. The rest sound like the same old worn out boy singing about his beer on the back of his truck with a babe in tight jeans (in his dreams)! It just does not make sense to me we still have to celebrate differences yet, much like other things, self segregating is not helping.

Startling statistics!

Here are just a few of the startling statistics I came across doing research..

23% of members of the United States Congress are women.
20 states have never had a female Governor!
14% of active military personal are women.
11.9% of police officers are women!
1/4 of the members of the United States senate are women. Since 1789, when the senate began, there have only been 56 women hold that office! I have many more but you get the point.

What you can do

Women have only had the right to vote now for 100 years. Passed by congress after more than an 80 year fight. Women like my personal heros, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton traveled the country fighting for Equal rights for ALL. Born with inalienable rights..We still have so far to go. If you take away one thing from this, you can change the odds. VOTE. Vote in the small, local elections. It is in the seemingly minor school board, or fire district elections that you make the most difference, because those are the people who usually go on to run for higher office. Consider running for and elected office yourself. Most importantly, be a public servant to show your children it can be done.

Girls will be girls

And PLEASE do not ever say “boys will be boys”!! What on earth is that about?! Ugh. I digress. I will leave the rant for the podcast! It’ll be a hot one! What are some of the things you have seen that you feel need to change? How will you teach your boys to respect women? Add in the comments. Subscribe for more, less in your face..ha not normal.