Lesbians in Prison: The Making of a Threat
A scandal at a Massachusetts women's prison marked a change in the construction of the "dangerous" female homosexual.
Why Black Women Activists Started Wearing Denim
Members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee adopted denim clothing for activist work. This had special significance for Black women.
Black Women, Black Freedom
Celebrating Black History Month with a look at the role of women in movements for liberation.
White Women and the Mahjong Craze
Travelers brought the Chinese game to American shores in the early 1920s. Why was it such a hit?
The “Scientific” Antifeminists of Victorian England
Nineteenth-century biologists employed some outrageous arguments in order to keep women confined to the home.
Can You Be a Good Scientist and a Horrible Person at the Same Time?
Consider Constantin Merezhkowsky, theorist of symbiogenesis.
The Hidden Meaning of a Notorious Experiment
In Stanley Milgram's studies of obedience, people believed they were giving shocks to others. But did their compliance say much about the Nazis?
How Women Lost Status in Saloons
During World War I, anti-vice crusaders marked women who liked the nightlife as shady. You can tell by the way men started talking about them.
Wren Folklore and St. Stephen’s Day
The tiny winter songbirds are clever kings to the Irish. They're also fodder (literally) for post-Christmas ritual.
The Forgotten Craze of Women’s Endurance Walking
Hardy athletes called pedestriennes wowed the sporting world of the nineteenth century. They also shocked guardians of propriety.