14.3.5 Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935)

Background

• Gilman's work emerged during the Progressive Era, a time of social activism and reform in the United States, which influenced her focus on social change, particularly concerning women's roles in society.
• Socialist Feminist: Gilman is often classified as a socialist feminist because of her belief that the economic structure of society is central to women's oppression. She combines feminist concerns with a critique of capitalism, arguing that economic independence is crucial for women's liberation.

Key Work:

• "The Yellow Wallpaper" (1892): A semi-autobiographical short story that critiques the medical treatment of women, particularly the "rest cure" prescribed for women diagnosed with hysteria or depression. The story is often interpreted as a powerful critique of the patriarchal control over women's bodies and minds.
• "Women and Economics" (1898): Gilman's most famous non-fiction work, where she argues that women's economic dependence on men is a primary source of their oppression. She advocates for women's economic independence through work and education.

---

Views on the Economy

1. Economic Independence

Gilman argued that women's economic dependence on men was the root cause of their oppression. She believed that women should be allowed to work and earn their own income, which would enable them to achieve true independence and equality.

'The labor of women in the house, certainly, enables men to produce more wealth than they otherwise could; and in this way women are economic factors in society. But so are horses.'

2. Critique of the Domestic Economy

Gilman critiqued the traditional domestic roles of women, viewing the home as a site of economic exploitation where women's unpaid labor benefited men and the broader economy without giving women financial autonomy. Gilman advocated for household chores to be shared between men and women in order to allow women to have greater access to paid employment.

3. Cooperative Living

She proposed alternative economic arrangements, such as cooperative living and communal kitchens, which would free women from domestic drudgery and allow them to participate fully in public and economic life.

4. Sex Slavery

Gilman argued that women's economic dependence on men was essentially sex slavery, as they would exchange sex and domestic work for economic stability.

---

Views on the State

Role of the State in Reform

Gilman saw the state as a potential ally in reforming society to achieve gender equality. She believed that the state should implement policies that promote women's economic independence and support social reforms that would alleviate the burdens of domestic work.

Support for Social Welfare

She supported state intervention in the form of social welfare programs, such as public childcare and communal services, to reduce women's dependency on men and promote equality.

---

Views on Gender and Society

1. Gender Roles as Social Constructs

2. Education and Socialization

Gilman stressed the importance of education in changing societal views on gender. She argued that boys and girls should be raised with the same expectations and opportunities, free from restrictive gender norms.

3. Reimagining Domestic Life

Gilman envisioned a society where domestic responsibilities were shared, and women were not confined to the private sphere. She proposed reorganizing domestic life to enable women to pursue careers and public life, arguing that this would benefit both individuals and society as a whole.

4. The Impact of Childhood on Gender Norms

Perkins Gilman emphasizes the importance of upbringing in the development of gender norms. For example, girls are brought up with pink dolls and doll houses, which helps to unconsciously portray gender stereotypes as the norm. To prevent harmful social conditioning of women, Gilman believes that girls and boys should have the same clothes and toys.

5. Societal Pressure

Young girls are compelled to conform in society and prepare for motherhood by playing with toys and wearing clothes that are specifically designed for and marketed to them.

6. Darwinist Theory

'Survival of the fittest' implies that it is biologically inevitable that men are dominant over women as they are stronger biologically and are not constrained by the consequences of childbearing. Gilman critiqued this by arguing that society and the economy have evolved beyond this, allowing women to take roles alongside male colleagues in the public realm. Women are equally as intelligent and rational as men, undermining the belief in biological inferiority.