New England Female Moral Reform Society

The New England Female Moral Reform Society was originally called the Boston Female Moral Reform Society at the time it was founded in 1835. The group changed their name in 1838 in response to a rivalry with the New York Female Moral Reform Society for support among women in auxiliary societies.[1] The goal of the New England Female Moral Reform Society, as well as the other moral reform societies at the time, was to prevent prostitution and to end the sexual double standard.[1] In 1844 the society opened a home for reformed prostitutes.[2] In the first volume of their semi-monthly periodical, the society asserted that men and women were equally liable for the immoral sexual actions that they performed together.[3]

  1. ^ a b Wright, Daniel and Kathryn Kish Sklar, “Introduction,” What Was the Appeal of Moral Reform to Antebellum Northern Women, 1835-1841? (Binghamton, NY: State University of New York at Binghamton, 1999).
  2. ^ Wright, Daniel and Kathryn Kish Sklar, “Document 1,” What Was the Appeal of Moral Reform to Antebellum Northern Women, 1835-1841? (Binghamton, NY: State University of New York at Binghamton, 1999).
  3. ^ Wright, Daniel and Kathryn Kish Sklar, “Document 6,” What Was the Appeal of Moral Reform to Antebellum Northern Women, 1835-1841? (Binghamton, NY: State University of New York at Binghamton, 1999).