In 1916 there was much talk of the New Woman emerging in the world as the war gave women opportunities to emerge at last. In Brisbane's Worker 100 years ago this week "Touchstone" rejoiced that "I very much admire the New Woman".
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"Her coming is a great event for the human race. Her claims for Equal Pay and an Equal Say are founded on the solid rock of equity."
But "Touchstone" knew the New Woman was going to horrify most men and women. They would want women to continue to be the weak "goody-goody girly-girly" heroine portrayed in stage melodramas, an empty-headed creature who "considerately gets married in the last act just before we rush to catch our trains".
"Women have not been given a fair deal though the ages. The soul we men manufactured for our wives mothers and sisters was not a beautiful work of art. It was too obviously made for OUR satisfaction.
"Where it should have inspired them to rebel it taught them to submit. When it should have lifted them above the clouds it raised them no higher than high-heeled shoes. When it should have had them float on wings, it encouraged them to waddle in crinolines.
"The soul we turned out in our workshop for Woman had her painted as a doll ... to lie about about on cushions all day, and exhibit silly symptoms of delight at our approach, and when feeling in need of recreation to darn socks or say her prayers."
