What do theme parties, abortion rights, and feminist rebellion have in common? Historian Jennifer Wright unearths women who, in their own subtle and not so subtle ways, defied the patriarchy, mocking original incel Anthony Comstock whose 19th-century repressive tactics are being used today in the far-right’s war on women.
In her dazzlingly researched books about Gilded Age legends like Mamie Fish, a character on the HBO series The Gilded Age, and innovative abortionist Madame Restell, Wright shows us that women have always found ways to wield power, even in times of deep inequality and political repression. Whether through eccentric parties or underground abortion networks, these women worked with what they had, where they were, and often did it with excitement.
Mamie Fish, for instance, bent society to her will through legendary parties, supporting seamstresses on strike, and introducing actresses and artists into elite circles. Her antics, from dog banquets to a monkey posing as a prince, weren’t just performance; they were power.
And then there’s Madame Restell: the go-to abortionist of 19th-century New York who never lost a patient and defied the patriarchy until the very end, possibly faking her own death to escape persecution.
What are the rebel women of the Gilded Age trying to tell us? We need creativity in our resistance. Culture is fuel. Fashion, parties, and art can democratize power and offer joy in dark times. When we make activism fun, inclusive, and rooted in lived human experience, we inspire people to join the fight.
For more on rebel women of the Gilded Age check out Jennifer Wright’s books Madame Restell The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist and also Glitz, Glam, and a Damn Good Time How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way to Power. Now go throw a theme party fundraiser and get creative at your next protest.
EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:
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September 29 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a discussion of Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford.
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