Family Values Feminism: History and Myth
Dr. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela gives us an excellent overview of the debates about how feminism has been discussed in terms of varieties of “family values” in modern American history. From the early suffragists, through the Progressives, through the Second Wave, and up to the 21st Century, Professor Petrzela shows the emphasis that feminists have put on parenting and family. And they did all this in the face of nasty opposition and abusive characterizations of their ideals by opponents of women’s rights. Episode 497.
Dr. Petrzela’s Website and Links! https://nataliapetrzela.com/
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Buzzkill Bookshelf
Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer (eds.), Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past
America’s top historians set the record straight on the most pernicious myths about our nation’s past
The United States is in the grip of a crisis of bad history. Distortions of the past promoted in the conservative media have led large numbers of Americans to believe in fictions over facts, making constructive dialogue impossible and imperiling our democracy.
In Myth America, Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer have assembled an all-star team of fellow historians to push back against this misinformation. The contributors debunk narratives that portray the New Deal and Great Society as failures, immigrants as hostile invaders, and feminists as anti-family warriors—among numerous other partisan lies. Based on a firm foundation of historical scholarship, their findings revitalize our understanding of American history.
Replacing myths with research and reality, Myth America is essential reading amid today’s heated debates about our nation’s past.
