This concludes Wendy Rouse's book on queer people and themes in the American women's suffrage movement. I found this book rich and useful, because while the specific lens Rouse uses is suffragists, there is nothing about these women and their lives that is specific to the suffrage movement, as opposed to being specific to a particular era and context in US history. Studies of 19th century queer women's history sometimes leave the impression that there are two poles: polite, acceptable romantic friendships and Boston marriages, and transgressive female masculinity and "passing women." But both themes are present in the suffrage movement, intertwined and reacting to each other, which this study demonstrates admirably. If you're writing sapphic historical fiction set in the later 19th and early 20th centuries, I'd consider this book essential background reading.
And on a more personal note: second day in a row working on rivisions of my skinsinger stories! I think the rhythm that I'm settling into is working on fiction first thing in the morning, over breakfast. Then a combination bike ride and LHMP reading at a coffee shop. Then some time doing housework and misc. projects. Then yard work when it starts cooling down in the evening. I knew going into retirement that I would be essential to develop a standard schedule, but I'm still sorting out the details.
Comments