"The true woman will not be exponent of another, or allow another to be such for her. She will be her own individual self... Stand or fall by her own individual wisdom and strength... She will proclaim the `glad tidings of good news' to all women, that woman equally with man was made for her own individual happiness, to develop... every talent given to her by God, in the great work of life."-Susan B. Anthony

Forum: Not For Ourselves Alone -- Where Are We Now?

When will this country recognize the work of Victoria Woodhull who ran for President in 1872? Theodore Stanton, the son of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, believed that the women of the early 1900's owed their victories to Stanton, Anthony, and Woodhull. It's not difficult to see why.

Woodhull was the author of the "New Departure." She was the one who argued before Congress that women already had the right to vote under the 14th and 15th Amendments. She attempted to vote in an election an entire year before Anthony made her attempt! And of the three, Woodhull was the only one who served jail time for what she believed. Instead of talking about her rights, Woodhull exercised them--and brought down the wrath of the powers that be.

I think Woodhull's contribution was--if not the greatest--second only to Stanton. Anthony was too narrowly focused on suffrage. Stanton and Woodhull realized that women needed economic and social equality more than the ballot box. But Stanton was afraid to express her opinions. She knew the damage it would do to her reputation. Woodhull didn't worry about that. She did what Stanton wished she could do. Woodhull brought topics like marital rape, sexual disease, and prostitution to the table. Her contemporaries considered her their "deliverer." Anthony may have given women the vote, but Woodhull gave women their pocketbooks and themselves.

If anyone is interested in knowing more about Victoria Woodhull, please visit the Victoria Woodhull & Company web site at

www.victoria-woodhull.com

Victoria Woodhull & Company was founded by an heir of Woodhull's husband Col. Blood. The company is continuing the Woodhull-Blood tradition of protesting party politics as usual. The company is symbolically running Victoria Woodhull for President of the United States in the year 2000.

Responses:

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Subject: I always prefered Woodhull
From: LeaAnn
Date: 11 Nov 1999 8:36 PM

Perhaps I really don't know enough to judge, but I think Woodhull's brand of equality was far truer than the others. If only the movement had had more people like her in it. I agree that she's better and less well known than Anthony or Stanton. My impression was that she was less sexist too -- for example Stanton used the stereotype of women's ethical superiority. Wasn't she essentially rejected by the movement for being too radical? I'll check out the site. I've already heard enough about Anthony and Stanton -- I really don't think they are that unknown, but maybe that's just me.

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Subject: Woodhull
From: Emma Garibay
Date: 04 Apr 2000 1:36 PM

It's great to know that there where women out thereready to fight for a cause that would eventually change all womens lives. There where women who talked about it and then there where women who did something about it and this womandid something.