hanging Women's Role

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron and his fiancée, Lady Angela of Alpine Castle, often discussed many interesting subjects with the chief advisor, Professor Hamblin, formerly of Cambridge University.

One of the subjects that came up the most involved the changing role of women in the Lilliland society.

When a German doctor joined the staff at the Lilliland Hospital, it was nothing noteworthy. However, when the new doctor arrived, and she was a woman, then it made some news.

Lady Angela asked why did it make a difference whether the doctor was a man or a woman? As long as the doctor passed all of the exams and was fully qualified, what was the difference? The Baron had no answer. The Professor had no answer.

Then, Professor Hamblin said that there were certain traditional roles that people expected. But if a person could pass all the necessary tests, they should certainly be qualified.

In the traditional family, the man was to be the provider whether it was the food from the fields, or the paycheck to buy the food. The female was to prepare the food for the family, raise the children, and keep the house clean and running smoothly.

The Baron and the Professor agreed that there was no good argument against admitting women to any trade school or university for which she was qualified.

Ideally, the person who could do the best work should get the job regardless of gender, they all agreed.

“But, first things first,” Lady Angela replied. “Today, in Lilliland and neighboring Switzerland, and many other countries, the women do not even have the vote. Let’s get the right to vote first and have a woman’s point of view represented in all aspect of government.”

They all agreed on that issue as a place to start.