Insanity Laws
Throughout much of the nineteenth century, a husband, father, or other male authority figure could—and did—have a woman declared insane as easily as getting two doctors to sign the certificate, and they didn’t even have to see the patient. A man’s testimony was enough to get a female relative locked up in secret indefinitely. Some women suffered from “puerperal insanity,” or post partem depression and other mental illnesses, but others were imprisoned in an asylum for no greater cause than disagreement with established norms (such as declaring women should get the vote), a medical condition like epilepsy, the ever popular hysteria, or infidelity. Treatments were crude at best, cruel at worst. Doctors considered female patients in danger of developing “erotomania” or hypersexuality, and took steps accordingly.
Now I am surprised that the PTB haven't tried to come up with a modern version of this series of laws, considering just how badly the present administration's treatment of the females appears to be. I may be wrong, but equality in both wages and job opportunities still seems to have a long way to go! Just my opinion, of course.
Coffee out on the patio this morning. Let's see if we can beat the heat.
