Women Politicking Politely

Kimberly Wilmot Voss has taken up [Laurel Thatcher] Ulrich’s challenge to look beyond the “exceptional women of history” (feminist iconoclasts like Betty Friedan) and delve into lesser-known sources to uncover the compelling stories of well-behaved women whose stories and contributions remain largely invisible. . . . Voss provides fascinating glimpses into the women’s personal and professional lives, thanks to extensive research in the women’s collected papers. * Missouri Historical Review *
Richly researched, this book accomplishes three critical goals. First, it introduces us to extraordinary women whose names are lost in the narrative of Second Wave feminism. Second, she reveals that “ladies who lunch” can also be “ladies who launch” meaningful challenges to patriarchy. Third, and perhaps most importantly, she expands the notion of activism to include everything from clubs to cookbooks. . . . Considering the void this book fills in the study of gender, it would be useful to any history or sociological course related to feminism, journalism, social movements, and activism. It helps to complete the picture of what a feminist “looks like.”. . . A goal for historians who study women is to generate a more robust, complete, and inclusive narrative of the role of women in society. Voss accomplishes this and more. She not only adds to the narrative, she also changes the picture of feminism to include [in her words], “all of the important, well-behaved women who still need to be a part of the historical record." * INSIGHTS *
It is important to know how history influences what we do today. Dr. Voss takes us back to the 1960s and 70s, the era of NOW, the ERA and women’s liberation, when women were fighting for their rights, and tells the stories of six women who became change agents, particularly in the evolution of women and the media. She presents a wonderful picture of the times and captures the spirit of the women who changed how and by whom information important to women was disseminated. This was an important time in history, one of great social change and one this book brings to life. -- Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, Florida International University
In Women Politicking Politely, Dr. Voss not only recovers the lives of six important American women but also illuminates the complicated dynamics of social movements. Historians tend to give outsized attention to outspoken protesters, while overlooking those equally important advocates who do the vital work of documenting, publicizing, fund-raising, and pressuring politicians directly. Voss’s exploration of these understudied “well behaved” women—four journalists and two government operatives—who moved feminism forward rebalances the history of the 1960s and 1970s. Women Politicking Politely is an important contribution to our understanding of the American feminist movement, social movements in general, and the nature of historical memory. -- Heather Cox Richardson, Boston College