When I first wrote about Judith Sargeant Murray in 2013 I wrote, "She s frequently called “a feminist” because she worked toward equality between women and men, but there wasn’t a name for this yet. She would never call herself a feminist because that might be like one of the Viking Captains calling himself an astronaut."
Today’s Literary Granny was an advocate for the education of girls before most people believed there was a need to educate “the gentler sex.” In her day, when the United States was a brand new country, only the wealthiest boys from the “best” families were able to invest the time to do much “book learning.”
Today, times have changed somewhat though there are more places in our world where girls still are not afforded an education. My daughter, Katherine, attended an all-women’s college specifically because I noted how many women leaders are developed at such institutions and had wondered allowed to her how my life would have been different if I had given an all women’s college more consideration when choosing where to do my own higher learning.
Beyond education, oftentimes women tear one another down more often than we build one another up.
Why does this continue?
More importantly, perhaps, is asking “What can we do to stop it?” and then taking aligned action to build up other women in our communities through supporting the work they do and the causes that stir their hearts.
Judith Sargeant Murray took action. It was her brothers who went to Harvard to be educated. She got her Harvard educations from her brothers when they came home for the Summer. Her “second hand” education lead her to her unwavering belief in the education of girls and women. Her first published essay (under the pen name Constantia) was titled: “Desultory Thoughts of Self-Complacency, Especially in Female Bosoms,” which appeared in 1784. It is, perhaps, a chapter from one of her earliest drafts of the work she published in 1790, On the Equality of the Sexes, which she reportedly completed its first draft in 1779 but was not ready to have it published at that time.
In addition to the pen name of Constantia, she also wrote under the name “Mr. Vigillius” because she believed he would have a wider readership than Constantia. “He” wrote fiction which described and illustrated Judith’s views on religion, politics, education and the manners and customs of the day.
Judith stood alongside fellow women using her writing voice - even cloaked in a male pseudonym - so that we could continue to learn, write and speak today.
Questions for contemplation and writing:
What do you to do to stand up for women in your writing and/or in your actions?
What are some ways you may reach out more than you do now?
Sentence starters:
I have an unwavering belief in…
When I see unfairness, I usually….
I would like to build women up by…
I can stop tearing down other women through…
Reflections at the End of the Day:
Today I am pleased to report I….
I was inspired to….
Today I noticed women….
Tomorrow I will….
I really want to be more….
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This blog post is a part of April's Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Visit here daily in April to be inspired by literary grannies across time.
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Julie Jordan Scott inspires people to experience artistic rebirth via her programs, playshops, books, performances and simply being herself out in the world. She is a writer, creative life coach, speaker, performance poet, Mommy-extraordinaire and mixed-media artist whose Writing Camps and Writing Playgrounds permanently transform people's creative lives. Watch for the announcement of new programs coming in Spring, 2015 and beyond.
Julie Jordan Scott writes from inside a Fountain at Joaquin Murrietta Park in Oakland, California. Mr. Murrietta was one of Ina Coolbrith's closest writing friends.
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