Apprehending possibilities: Tracing the emergence of feminist consciousness in nineteenth-century New Zealand

SynopsisThis article analyses the processes by which women in the nineteenth century developed feminist subjectivities. Focusing on the first wave of feminism in New Zealand as a case study, it is argued that the development of a feminist consciousness was a necessary precursor to involvement in the women's movement. Two key phases in the process of the politicisation of women are identified. The first phase involves exposure to competing and contradictory formulations of what it means to be a woman. A key site identified for this phase is in the newspaper columns specifically targeted for a female readership. The second phase involves the opportunity to apprehend the possibilities for changed gender relations based on a politicised collective female identity. This opportunity was afforded through activism around the Contagious Diseases Prevention Act prior to the formation of a formal women's movement.