T h e s p i r i t o f t h e n e w B y H u t c h i n s H a p g o o d
We are undergoing a revolution in our society. As I once said, “There can… be no revolution without a revolution of the spirit”. This means that in order to change any aspect of our society, we must first bring about a new spirit in ourselves. We as citizens, especially the Bohemians, must recognize our potential in making true and positive change in the world. Then we must organize and
Evelyn Nesbit, 1913
present our ideals to a group who will listen. For this reason, we
Therefore, I propose the New Mar-
take care of the children. Men can
come to Polly’s and mingle with
riage, where both parties can enjoy
choose not to do jobs that require
people of similar interests to fulfill
the same luxuries and freedoms.
hard labor like construction or fac-
our own personal missions of bet-
These luxuries include but are not
tory work. In an ideal society, this
tering society. I propose that we
limited to, freedom to have extra-
would be done with ease, unfortu-
must also focus on asserting the
marital affairs, freedom to separate
nately nothing is perfect and we
ideas of the New Marriage, the
ownership of property, equal share
must work at making this a possi-
New Man, the New Woman, and
of household duties, and freedom
bility in the future. Roles that were
the New Culture.
to work and earn money.
previously seen as “manly” things
Marriage is never perfect,
In order for this New Mar-
would no longer be specified for a
and it is something that even I
riage to work, we must also
specific gender. While relieving
struggle with. The definition of
change the roles of men and wom-
the pressures put on men, this
marriage varies from person to
en, which brings me to my next
would in turn, give women more
person. Some define marriage as a
topic, The New Man. The New
options for potential roles in socie-
union between a man and a wom-
Man no longer has to follow the
ty.
an where they become one. This
rigid frame of what is seen as
“one” is usually the husband
“manly.” As gender roles become
the New Man are to succeed, we
whose wife becomes his property
more fluid, men can now choose
must introduce the New Woman.
along with her possessions (18).
whether to be breadwinners or not.
The New Woman is any woman
This is unacceptable and unfair.
Men can choose to stay home and
who chooses how she lives her
If the New Marriage and
life. The New Woman is any
no taking advantage of the immi-
woman who decides to break the
grants and African Americans in
dations of marriage and what it
mold of the “traditional female.”
the workforce or forgetting them
means to be a woman or a man,
The New Woman is each and eve-
in the fight for suffrage. Under
we are relieving people of the so-
ry woman we see every day,
this New Culture, we could all be
cial constructs society puts on us.
whether she is a writer, business
more accepting of each other’s
Only then can we make a lasting
owner, a lawyer, or even a home-
differences and work together as
change to how generations from
maker. These are all the embodi-
one to achieve our common goals.
now will live in the future. Will
ment of the New Woman. By giv-
In each faction there is division,
our future be stuck in the same
ing women the authority to make
but if we could all gather the sup-
old, rigid frames of marriage and
their own decisions and choose
port of everyone and work as one
gender roles we have now? Will it
which roles they want to fulfill,
people by putting our efforts to-
be forever changed by allowing
they are able to find themselves
gether, the targets would be
fluidity in the definitions of mar-
and become independent.
reached for all parties involved.
riage? The power lies in our hands
All of these factors feed
I hope that each faction
By rejuvenating the foun-
and the choice is ours, we must
into the idea of feminism, which
takes into consideration the prin-
make the right choice so that our
is a fairly new subject in our soci-
ciples I have put forth. I believe
children may live in a world better
ety. Feminism is seen as the em-
that by adding these Bohemian
than ours.
powerment of women because it
ideals, either faction can branch
works toward giving women the
out to the Bohemians in our midst
same rights and societal privileges
to win the much-needed votes.
as men. Times are changing. Fem-
The suffragists can benefit from
inism is a way to unify women to
the New Woman as it gives wom-
help them achieve a voice in our
en more freedom and independ-
government structure.
ence. The labor faction can bene-
The New Culture, as I like
fit by putting men and women on
to call it, would be a society
an even playing field both at work
where no matter your race or
and at home. Both factions can
background, you are seen as hu-
benefit from the New Culture by
man. There would be no differen-
uniting with all women or all la-
tiation between immigrants and
borers in order to reach their ob-
natives, or blacks and whites. We
jectives. Overall, we can put into
would all be one community, one
practice what we want to see in
people. Therefore, there would be
society in our private lives.
2
“Old Life” cartoon by Charles Dana Gibson