Culture
“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History” Doesn’t Actually Mean What You Think It Means
“Well-behaved women seldom make history” has been used to justify casting off gender norms in pursuit of progress. Instead, the quote’s author meant that the unacknowledged life is no less extraordinary.
By Alina Clough3 min read
America is in an era of reexamining gender roles with “Well-behaved women seldom make history” plastered on its bumpers, tote bags, and coffee mugs. The line has evolved into a feminist rallying cry, one that those reclaiming terms like “nasty women” take to prove their point: being nice gets women nowhere.