Who Is Charlotte Perkins Gilman Appropriate For Women During The Progressive Movement?

During the Progressive Era, there was a rise in advocates for various issues of the period. A prime example of a progressive advocate is Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who through her writing encouraged more social, political, and economic rights for women. Gilman specifically advocated for women to not only participate in their domestic duties but for women to also serve as active members of society; both politically and financially. To convey these points, Gilman wrote and published many books that illustrated the issues to the public and started conversations and controversies which brought more attention to women’s rights. In her works, Gilman consistently advocated for economic power for women; however, she supported women being involved
Charlotte Perkins Gilman primarily advocated for women to be financially self-supporting through many of her works specifically Women and Economics. Gilman believed that to achieve the ideal “new woman,” females needed to be educated in economics and have no need to rely on men. Gilman further analyzed this idea in her book Women and Economics where Gilman illustrates her beliefs that the lack of education for women particularly when it comes to finances which she views as a substantial reason for the inferior treatment of women. The writing promoted the idea that women do not need to have such a high dependence on men if they choose to educate themselves and become self-supporting. This emphasis on education mainly ties back to Gilman’s own life because she is self-educated and sees this as a huge benefit. Additionally, her intelligence and awareness developed through her education inspired her progressive ideas and desire for reforms for women. The public reaction to her works expresses the significance of her opinion during the time. In a New York Times article, the author not only conveys Gilman’s idea of female economic education as a new freedom for women but also