Wendy McElroy

This is a history of the individualist feminism movement and of three prominent publications that rose in its defense: The Word, Liberty and Lucifer the Light Bearer. These often-overlooked 19th century journals published some of the most important ideas on feminism, anarchism and personal liberty. Biographies and selections from contributors to these magazines feature the remarkable women and men who laid many of the foundations for modern feminist thought. Angela Heywood, who first defended abortion based on women's self-ownership of her body, and Lillian Harman, who was jailed at 16 for being married without state or church ceremonies, are two of the women profiled. These fascinating profiles and writings provide insight into the lives and work of these important but often neglected early feminists.

In her pioneering work, The Debates of Liberty, Wendy McElroy provides a comprehensive examination of one of the most remarkable and influential political phenomena in America: the anarchist periodical Liberty and the circle of radicals who surrounded it. Liberty, which is widely considered to be the premier individualist-anarchist periodical ever issued in the English language, published such items as George Bernard Shaw's first original article to appear in the United States and the first American translated excerpts of Friedrich Nietzsche. Arguably the world's foremost expert on Liberty, Dr. McElroy exposes the reader to the controversy etched in each debate, ranging from radical civil liberties to economic theory, and from children's rights to the basis of rent and interest. While addressing the facts, Dr. McElroy also conveys and captures the individualistic personalities that emerged: Lysander Spooner, Auberon Herbert, Joshua K. Ingalls, John Henry Mackay, Victor Yarros, and Wordsworth Donisthorpe are only a partial listing.

As feminist and women-positive ideas and ideals exploded in the 1960s and 1970s, a sexual revolution was forged, allowing women a variety of lifestyle choices. Many current feminists, called "gender feminists" by some, too often are fighting to limit the sexual options of women. They view women as victims of patriarchy whom must be protected from making incorrect sexual choices, such as choosing to work in pornography or prostitution. As a movement, author McElroy believes, feminism is in danger of drifting from sexual liberation to sexual correctness. This work gives a critical overview of the ideological shift among many feminists. The issues of sexual correctness are examined in detail, showing how the changing ideology is destroying the principle of "a woman's body, a woman's right" and endangering women's right to choose. On each issue, this work presents alternatives in the individualist traditions that defined the feminism movement for many years.