ELIZABETH SELBERT

She had been instrumental in changing the laws so that in most things women had equal rights, but they had not voted before, and did not read much about politics, and were not used to behaving as someone who had equal rights vis a vis anyone else.

She did not identify with “feminists” because most of the ones she read and came into contact with tended to want to change the role of women in society. Selbert wanted them simply to have equal rights under the law, and then individually each could make of that what they would. She was very effective because she did not threaten men as much as many of the feminists of the time did. All she said she demanded was equal and fair treatment in the culture that existed. She probably knew that the equality in fact would lead to major changes in society, but she saw no point in discussing that.

She had been instrumental in changing the laws so that in most things women had equal rights, but they had not voted before, and did not read much about politics, and were not used to behaving as someone who had equal rights vis a vis anyone else.

She did not identify with “feminists” because most of the ones she read and came into contact with tended to want to change the role of women in society. Selbert wanted them simply to have equal rights under the law, and then individually each could make of that what they would. She was very effective because she did not threaten men as much as many of the feminists of the time did. All she said she demanded was equal and fair treatment in the culture that existed. She probably knew that the equality in fact would lead to major changes in society, but she saw no point in discussing that.