Heterodoxy

Heterodoxy was the name adopted by a feminist debating group in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 20th century. It was notable for providing a forum for the development of more radical conceptions of feminism than the suffrage and women's club movements of the time. The heterodoxy club was also known to be a space filled with people living remarkably diverse personal lives, allowing for women to congregate and talk about their experiences with one another in what was considered to be a safe space for conversation and change. The group was considered important in the origins of American feminism. History Heterodoxy was founded in 1912 by Marie Jenney Howe, who specified only one requirement for membership: that the applicant "not be orthodox in his or her opinion". The club was formed on the basis of the motto: "The only taboo is taboo." The club's members had diverse political views, but used those differing views to focus on a multitude of different political and social issues centered around the rights of women. The membership also included bisexual and lesbian women, in addition to heterosexuals. The luncheon club, which started with 25 members, met every two weeks on Saturdays. Most of the women who belonged in the club were part of the generation born between the 1870-1880s, making this generation the first to emphasize women's rights. The club was disestablished in the 1940s. Group members referred to themselves as "Heterodites". Among the notable members were Mary Ware Dennett, Susan Glaspell, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Ida Rauh. Heterodites Alice Kimball, Alison Turnbull Hopkins, Doris Stevens, and Paula Jakobi were arrested in 1917 and 1918 suffrage protests, and served time in the Occoquan Workhouse, jail, or prison psychiatric wards. Grace Nail Johnson was the only African American woman who belonged to Heterodoxy. Beatrice M. Hinkle was another notable Heterodite, adding credibility to the group by being its only trained psychoanalyst while also examining a subcategory of psychology called feminist psychology. Many non-members addressed the group, including Helen Keller, Margaret Sanger, Emma Goldman, and Amy Lowell. Heterodoxy meetings were valuable sources of information on the struggles for women's rights for its members. Although full of diverse lives and ideas, the women in the group were connected by their passion and desire to think unconventionally.