Unbinding Revolutionary Women

The Gradual Unbinding of Revolutionary Women

Women back in the 17th to 18th century were labeled insignificant and served no major roles in any life-changing events. The fate for most of the women, was being confined in their own living spaces- left to prioritize housework duties such as cooking and cleaning. The etiquette of women was subjected to remain obedient to men. The inferiority of women forced imposition of loyalty and obedience towards men; the respect to women remained unrecognized in society. Preluding to the beginning of the 18th century, before the American Revolution arose, the position of a woman was strictly only to maintain household orders and comply towards the necessities of men. Women were nothing more but mere objects

Many became nurses, a role that prevailed from aiding the heavily injured men from war. “…female nurses did mostly custodial work, feeding and bathing patients, emptying chamberpots, cleaning hospital wards and occasionally cooking” (Brooks 2013, para. 7). Nursing allowed women to obtain a better sense of their well-being. It expanded their usefulness, emphasizing recognition upon their gender role. Among the roles in the war, the majority were “cooks, maids, laundresses, water bearers and seamstresses for the army” (Brooks 2013, para. 16). Women were well suited for providing nourishment and necessities for the army due to their skills obtained by their accustomed housework. “...the American army often recruited the many female camp followers to fill these jobs” (Brooks 2013, para. 17). They had slowly began to achieve recognition in society, especially war. It was then, that woman had begun to silently “protest” on having the same equal opportunity as men. During the war, women created a role for themselves to side amongst the male soldiers: a secret soldier. Women were “not allowed to join the military at the time”, but still “disguised themselves as men by cutting their hair, binding their breasts with bandages and adopting masculine names” (Brooks 2013, para. 22). The creation of their own role in a patriarchal domain

A few years later, after the widespread voices that ascended women into recognition for change, movements had begun to assemble in towards greater equality. Women had no place to be involved in political affairs, and as recognition started to manifest, in 1848, “the first women’s rights convention is held in Seneca Falls, New York.” (Imbornoni n.d, para. 2). The purpose of this convention was to acknowledge the equality between both genders and allow voting rights for women. This was the first women engagement into American Politics, it’s also the “story of women’s struggle to be treated as human beings –“separate and equal” “(Lynne 24). Unfortunately, this contained many