“Boston Marriage” – the forerunner of feminism (9 photos)

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, this method of coexistence between two persons of the fairer sex became quite popular.





What is the so-called “Boston marriage”? This definition was invented in New England, and it means the union of two women for the purpose of living together in order to get rid of the oppression of boring parents or authoritarian husbands.



The term appeared and stuck with the publication of Henry James's novel The Bostonians in 1886. In the story, the author described the relationship between an experienced feminist and a girl who had just begun to discover this world. The novel became a sketch from life, since James copied the heroines from his own sister and her friend. The term “Boston marriage” was coined by US suffragist Edna Cheney.

She + she





This system of relationships opened up much broader prospects for women compared to patriarchal marriage. Ladies could make their own decisions, manage their property, and build their lives as they saw fit.

There were cases where women lived their whole lives in a “Boston marriage” without any desire to return to ordinary relationships.

The man is in charge



Until the second half of the 19th century, women in the United States and Europe did not have the right to dispose of their property. And the dowry was sometimes considerable. And it didn’t matter that the husbands wasted money on addictions like gambling, alcohol or mistresses. The man is in charge. And that's it.

If the head of the family died, then the inheritance and the right to dispose of it passed to the closest male relative. The widow and daughters were not entitled to anything.

At the origins



Coman and Bates

Women of a new generation, striving for change, became the pioneers of this trend. Mary Emma Woolley, the first female student at Brown University, lived with her companion Jeannette Marks.

When the writer Sarah Orne Jewett's friend was widowed, the woman moved in with her and lived with Annie Fields for almost three decades. They had similar views, both were fond of literature, and traveled a lot.

Friends, poet Katherine Lee Bates and historian and public figure Katherine Ellis Coman, spent almost a quarter of a century together. When the latter died of cancer, Beist dedicated a collection of poems to the deceased, calling it “Yellow Clover.” As a sign of affection, girls often exchanged such leaves.

In a word, the “Boston marriage” turned out to be a way out and a solution, and moreover, it was often much stronger than the usual one.

Are they lesbians?



Women were considered airy and asexual creatures. That is, manifestations of feelings between them could be demonstrated by notes, glances, bouquets, poems, walks holding the hand.

Initially, the “Boston marriage” was chosen by those who held identical views on life, had similar hobbies, and the same worldview. It was easy for women to build a life with equal gender status, and therefore the relationship was long and comfortable.



Michel Andre and Alice Saprich in The Bostonians, a drama adapted by Jean-Louis Curtis from the novel by Henry James

There were also girls who initially did not want to get married with all that entails. And although this form of living was considered in society as a manifestation of prudence, it was not particularly condemned. In addition, women, who often lived together until their death, calmly found sexual partners on the side.

Yes, there were also gay women who used the “Boston marriage” to cover up lesbian relationships. In the eyes of society, they were seen as nothing more than companions. And people saw nothing shameful in such a life together.

How is it today?



Still from the TV series "Gentleman Jack"

The idea of ​​living together during student years in order to save on rent has been practiced for a long time. Some girls maintain friendly relations even after studying, finding like-minded people, friends, and girlfriends in their neighbors.



The idea of ​​sisterhood and mutual assistance is also realized after an unsuccessful experience in family life. Women, often with small children, leave their husbands, for example, who suffer from addictions or are prone to violence, and create such mini-crisis centers to survive difficult times. Moreover, although society often sees such couples as lesbians or women who simply have not met worthy men, such forms of cohabitation are quite viable.