Wawanesa: A Prairie Heritage - Nellie McLung, The Feminist

"We may yet live to see the day when women will be no longer news! And it cannot come too soon. I want to be a peaceful, happy, normal human being, pursuing my unimpeded way through life, never having to stop to explain, defend, or apologize for my sex."

Nellie McLung made a great contribution to Canadian life by her emphasis on the deep significance of family life and women's place in it.

She was a leader in the battle to secure the vote for women, and unique in achieving this in two provinces- Manitoba and Alberta.

"For generations women have been thinking and thought without expression is dynamic and gathers volume by repression. Evolution, when blocked and repressed, becomes revolution."

Nellie and two of her compatriots after her victory in the "Persons Case", in which it was argued that the definition of "person" did not include women, and thus women were not eligible to hold office in the Canadian Senate. Nellie is at the far left. It is said that after the victory, instead of going out for a drink, as a man might have done, they went out and bought themselves hats.

Nellie challenged women to take up the cause and work along with her for women's rights, particularly suffrage. Of the women who claimed they did not want to vote, she says:

"The most deadly uninteresting person, and the one who has the greatest temptation not to think at all is the comfortable and happily married woman - the woman who has a good man between her and the world - the woman who has not the saving privilege of having to work... there is no sin in comfort lest we let it atrophy our souls, and settle down upon us like a stupor... let us pray.

"From plague, pestilence and famine,
from battle, murder, sudden death,
and all forms of cowlike contentment,
Good Lord deliver us!"

"Still things are becoming better. The young men are growing up all right. And the old men are converted sometimes and if they don't change their minds, well, they die."

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"We may yet live to see the day when women will be no longer news! And it cannot come too soon. I want to be a peaceful, happy, normal human being, pursuing my unimpeded way through life, never having to stop to explain, defend, or apologize for my sex."


Nellie McLung made a great contribution to Canadian life by her emphasis on the deep significance of family life and women's place in it. She was a leader in the battle to secure the vote for women, and unique in achieving this in two provinces- Manitoba and Alberta. "For generations women have been thinking and thought without expression is dynamic and gathers volume by repression. Evolution, when blocked and repressed, becomes revolution."






		Nellie and two of her compatriots after her victory in the "Persons Case", in which it was argued that the definition of "person" did not include women, and thus women were not eligible to hold office in the Canadian Senate. Nellie is at the far left. It is said that after the victory, instead of going out for a drink, as a man might have done, they went out and bought themselves hats.
Nellie challenged women to take up the cause and work along with her for women's rights, particularly suffrage. Of the women who claimed they did not want to vote, she says: "The most deadly uninteresting person, and the one who has the greatest temptation not to think at all is the comfortable and happily married woman - the woman who has a good man between her and the world - the woman who has not the saving privilege of having to work... there is no sin in comfort lest we let it atrophy our souls, and settle down upon us like a stupor... let us pray. "From plague, pestilence and famine, from battle, murder, sudden death, and all forms of cowlike contentment, Good Lord deliver us!" "Still things are becoming better. The young men are growing up all right. And the old men are converted sometimes and if they don't change their minds, well, they die."






	The History \| Picture Gallery \| People \| Mutual Insurance \| The Community Neighbouring Communities \| The Museum \| About Us \| Home