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Housman's Feminist Contributions

Laurence Housman has contributed himself as a feminist, dedicating his work mainly to the Suffrage movement in England. His activism was mainly creating works of art such as: creating banners, creating propaganda, writings and contributing to women's new-papers.

The Suffrage Atelier

Poster created by the Suffrage Atelier, 1913

Laurence Housman and his sister, Clemence Housman, founded the Suffrage Atelier in February of 1909. This was a studio that produced artistic propaganda for the suffrage movement. The studio was located at his house, No. 1 Pembroke Cottage Kensington. Although there were other studios throughout England also creating propaganda for the suffrage movement such as the Artists’ Suffrage League and the Women’s Social and Political Union, the Suffrage Atelier was unique because this studio paid their artist by selling the work to the suffrage community. This studio was important not only in creating propaganda for the suffrage movement but also, the creation of banners required collective work. This was significant as it created an environment for women to find other women. Additionally, work such as embroidery, which was known to be domestic, was utilized to propel a political movement and allowed women to earn money.

No. Pembroke Cottage Kensington

Aside from his Suffrage Atelier studio, Housman opened his house to the suffrage movement and it quickly became a hub for the feminist movement. Along with housing the Suffrage Atelier studio, it additionally held educational classes trying to help women explore their feminist identities. This was done by bringing in public speakers and hosting writing lessons.

The Census Protest

The 1911 Census Boycott was a feminist movement with the goal of disrupting government processes. Advertised by the Suffrage Press, the movement asked women to refuse giving their information for the census. Housman was one of the main contributor in the 1911 Census Boycott. His contribution was through publishing propaganda for the boycott. More specifically, he published a series of articles for The Vote - ‘If-!’ which advertised the proposal for the census strike. In addition, he used his house, as a safe house protecting women who refused to give their information to the census.

The Anti-Suffrage Alphabet

The Anti-Suffrage Alphabet was a book including illustrations from Housman and other women which worked to raise funds for the suffrage campaign. The main goal of the book was to disenfranchise women’s subordination by criticizing the negative attitudes towards women.

From Prison to Citizenship

'From Prison to Citizenship' was the first banner created by Housman as a contribution to the Women’s Social and Political Union. This banner was displayed at the Queen’s hall at an unveiling ceremony and has been used regularly by the Women’s Social and Political Union.

His writing

Housman was a writer hence, his passion has always been writing. Therefore, he tried to incorporate this in his work with the feminist movement. He was popular for taking other people’s work and giving it a feminist twist. In addition, he contributed to newspapers. Through his contributions to newspapers, he was able to advise women on how to protest which can be found in the Women’s Freedom League. In addition, he featured his writing in newspapers. For example, a series of poems supporting the Suffragette movement was published in The Women’s Press as well as Votes for Women.

Creating Propaganda

Housman predominantly contributed to the suffrage movement by creating propaganda. Recently, propaganda has been perceived pejoratively because of its association with negative entities such as, totalitarian governments and war efforts ; however, the definition of propaganda is merely spreading ideas to further a cause. Propaganda is effective because it triggers an emotional response and this is powerful because it can overwhelm people's emotions to the extent that they forget to think rationally. However, sometimes, propaganda can rely on people's reasons. In this case, propaganda heightens the emotions that people had already rationally concluded. It should be noted that if the audience is unaware of the intent of the propaganda, the impact or the emotional response that the artist desired to create becomes magnified. Additionally, the power of propaganda becomes more powerful when the same message is repeated. The repetition can be the dispersion of a message through different media outlets such as newspapers, radios, art and literature. Housman partook in the suffrage movement by taking advantage of this powerful medium and utilized multiple different outlets to spread his propaganda such as, creating banners with the Suffrage Atelier, creating the Anti-Suffrage Alphabet, and writing in newspapers.

Other activism

Aside from his artistic contributions, he also participated in physical protests. He frequently spoke in suffrage rallies. Similar to his writing style, he spoke artistically. For example, he read  “Tommy this Tommy that” by Rudyard Kipling to be “Women this Women that”. He also partook in the petition against forcible feeding in which he was arrested for.

His economic belief and its contribution to gender oppression

Housman thought economics was a central component working to oppress women. He believed the Suffragettes perceived masculinity to value market values while feminine values leaned to be more utopian and reflect collective values. The Suffrage movement, therefore, centred maternal values, de-individualizing the movement. This, was important as it helped break the stereotype that women, especially mothers, who were active in the movement, were bad citizens.  Put differently, it collectivized the issue and made the reason to be a Suffragette more valid.

His sexuality

Housman was openly homosexual and invested himself to help other homosexuals to be less stigmatized by society. To do so, he joined an organization called the Order of Chaeronea which was a secret society that worked to gain homosexuals social recognition. Additionally, he also was a founder of the British Society for the Study of Sex Psychology. This was an organization which aimed to advance sex reform hoping for a more open society regarding sexualities by breaking prejudices. It was originally known as the British Society of Psychiatry; however, Housman wanted it known as a society and had it changed. Housman also brought his artistic contributions to the fight of de-stigmatizing homosexuality. For example, he created pamphlets for the organization such as The Relation of Fellow-Feeling to Sex.

A newspaper published by the Men's League for Women's Suffrage in October 1909

Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage

Housman believed men should be an active participant of the suffrage movement. Therefore, Housman along with Israel Zangwill, Henry Nevinson and Henry Brailsford formed the Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage to propel the movement. These four writers were able to successfully convince some men in the 1910 general election to write Vote for Women on their ballot. He was also active in another male feminist group, the Men’s Social and Political Union.

Male Suffragists

Males were also present in the suffrage movement.

Laurence Housman

Laurence Housman was a male feminist that devoted himself to the suffrage movement. Most of his contributions were through creating art, such as propaganda, with the intent of helping women in the movement to better express themselves, influencing people to join the movement and informing people about particular suffrage events such as the 1911 Census protest. He and his sister, Clemence Housman, created a studio called the Suffrage Atelier which aimed to create propaganda for the suffrage movement. This was significant because he produced a space for women to create propaganda to better aid the suffrage movement and, at the same time, earn money by selling the art. Also, he created propaganda such as the Anti-Suffrage Alphabet, and wrote for many women's newspapers. Additionally, he also influenced other men to aid the movement. For example, he formed the Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage with Israel Zangwill, Henry Nevinson and Henry Brailsford, hoping to inspire other men to participate in the movement.