The disadvantages of being a woman by Grace Ellison
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The disadvantages of being a woman by Grace Ellison is a collection of social essays written in the early 20th century. The book examines the pressures and inequities shaping women’s lives—at work, in law, in politics, and in marriage—arguing for practical reforms, economic security, and a cooperative partnership between the sexes rather than rivalry. Across brief, pointed chapters, the author critiques militant leadership and hasty reforms that ignored average women; warns that
poor health and physiology limit many in heavy or high-pressure work; and shows how professional barriers, “pin‑money” undercutting, and biased laws on divorce, inheritance, and illegitimacy harm women. She contrasts English habits with the prudence of French family business and dowry systems, questions the early promise of women’s parliamentary politics, and dissects how “sex in work” and the time cost of femininity complicate careers. Turning to marriage, she urges moral partnership and early unions supported by modest dowries, while proposing pensions or state insurance to protect single and aging women. The closing vision rejects antagonism, calling instead for balanced cooperation—male and female as complementary forces, with children’s welfare at the center. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Ellison, Grace, 1880-1935 |
|---|---|
| Title | The disadvantages of being a woman |
| Original Publication | London: A. M. Philpot, 1922. |
| Series Title | Blue booklets ; no. 4 |
| Credits | Bob Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | HQ: Social sciences: The family, Marriage, Sex and Gender |
| Subject | Feminism |
| Subject | Women |
| Subject | Women's rights |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 78463 |
| Release Date | Apr 16, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 301 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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