DAMSELS, DOLLYMOPS, AND DIVORCEES: WOMEN'S AGENCY IN THE 19TH CENTURY

Women of the past got a bad rep—always meek and submissive; they had no control over their lives and were subjected to the whims of their male guardians. But what if women’s history was more complex than that? What if women were allowed agency? What if everything you  thought about women’s history is wrong?

Join Clarke County Historical Association Archivist Melanie Garvey to uncover the intricacies of female agency in the 19th century. Explore how women could negotiate prenup agreements and divorce settlements and how they used sex as a tool of control, even in Clarke County.

This talk is for audiences 18 years and older and will touch on mature subjects.