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Museum’s ‘Rebel Women’ Exhibit Brings Light To ‘Nasty Women’ Of Victorian Era

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A New York museum’s “Rebel Women” exhibit aims to bring light to the “nasty women” of the Victorian era, giving patrons a glimpse of what the women’s rights movement looked like before women could even vote.

The Museum of the City of New York’s exhibit Rebel Women: Defying Victorianism highlights progressive activists from the 19th century. The exhibit features female activists who fought for abortion rights, equal pay and divorce — ideas that were revolutionary, even taboo, during the 1800s. Some of the women included are wealthy entrepreneur Hetty Green, dubbed the “witch of Wall Street,” equal pay activist Sarah Monroe, as well as the “sexual radical” and “free love” advocate Victoria Claflin Woodhull, according to The Guardian. The exhibit also includes female doctor Ann Trow Lohman, who prescribed birth control and performed abortions on her patients during the mid 19th century.

“It certainly taps into the ‘nasty women’ and #MeToo women’s rights movement that’s going on right now,” said Marcela Micucci, the exhibit’s curator, to The Guardian. “We show how history repeats itself and it’s important to trace the early activism of women’s rights.”

“All of these women have made incredible contributions to women’s history, whether they’re well-known or lesser known,” Micucci added.

“Historical nasty women are getting their due,” tweeted amNewYork, an entertainment and lifestyle platform.

Historical nasty women are getting their due at @MuseumofCityNY‘s “Rebel Women” exhibit https://t.co/yC4gFnCcow pic.twitter.com/fE7UBbaA2A

— amNewYork (@amNewYork) July 16, 2018

This looks like it will be a good exhibit! https://t.co/mbqeFI7MJ2 via @MuseumofCityNY

— JRobbins (@jsevrobb) July 16, 2018

The exhibit runs until Jan. 6, 2019.