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January 28, 2025 37 mins

Jane Addams: Trailblazer for Social Reform

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In this episode of 'She Changed History,' hosts Simon and Vicky explore the life and lasting impact of Jane Addams, one of the most influential figures in American social reform. Born in 1860, Addams was a pioneer in social work, founding the Hull House in Chicago to support immigrants and the working class with education, job training, and legal aid. Her holistic approach to social problems and her advocacy for systemic change laid the groundwork for modern social work and set a template for future social welfare programs. Recognized globally, she became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Other Episodes referenced: 10. Lise Meitner and 2. Ada Lovelace

00:00 Hometown Anecdotes and Personal Catch-Up
02:34 Introduction to Jane Addams
05:50 Early Life and Education of Jane Addams
10:23 Founding of Hull House
15:01 Impact and Legacy of Hull House
16:55 Structural Societal Reforms
17:30 Holistic Approach to Social Reform
19:26 Advocacy for Women's Rights and Peace
25:21 Recognition and Legacy
29:52 Interconnectedness of Social Issues
32:54 Jane Addams' Lasting Impact
35:27 Conclusion and Reflections

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
audio1572279143-1 (00:07):
In Boston, where my hometown is, we have a
like the main, I had to get fromone end of the town to the other
really quick.
They called it John Adams Way,randomly after the second
president of America, in ourlittle hometown in rural
England.
How weird is that?
Of all the things to make after.
They were like, yeah, JohnAdams, that guy.

(00:28):
That's some local legend.
It's so random.
But yeah, it's a little factoid

video1572279143-1 (00:34):
there.

audio1572279143-1 (00:34):
there.
All right.
Well, hi, Simon.
Hi, Vicky.
How are you doing?
How are you?
Yeah, very well, thanks.
We're going to, Bristol tomorrowfor a candlelight concert.
Ooh, tell me more.
Have you ever seen them?
They're sort of pop up advertson Facebook and things.
Yes, on Gloucester though, notBristol.

(00:55):
Yeah, we've been to a couple atthe Blackfriars Priory.
It's a gorgeous old building.
It sounds amazing.
But we're in Bristol.
I don't know where in Bristol.
Oh, that's, Cat's telling mewhere to drive.
She's just doing it, fab.
Yeah, we got given some ticketsfor Christmas and it's a Taylor
Swift one.
God, you guys, that's the bestday.

(01:17):
Can't wait.

video1572279143-1 (01:17):
Sounds amazing.
Gonna be lush.

audio1572279143-1 (01:19):
lush.
Are

video1572279143-1 (01:19):
up for anything?
Save a candlelight.

audio1572279143-1 (01:21):
candlelight.
Oh my gosh, now I'm cleaning myhouse.

video1572279143-1 (01:23):
Mine's

audio1572279143-1 (01:23):
very dull.
We were gonna try.
Simply Wild.
It's like a fine dining kind ofrestaurant vibe.
Yeah.
I'd recommend it.
Yeah.
I took, my friend over Christmasand, and yeah, it was reasonably
priced.
It's like more expensive thanyour usual forest dinner.

(01:43):
But like, you know, I don't mindthat if you know, if you're
paying for something nice and itwas, it's more about like value
than cost, isn't it?
I think so.
They did this soup and it waslike a foamy soup.
I've never had that before.
And, oh God, it was amazing.
And stuff you'd never make, likeit was chicory something soup.
And I would never cook chicory.

(02:04):
But it was so lush and woulddefinitely, yeah, definitely
recommend that.
That's what I want in arestaurant.
Sort of go there and think, Icould have just made this.
I mean, it's nice not having tomake it, but it's a little bit
disappointing.
Especially when you think youcould make it better.
Jamie's always like, I feel likeI could make this better.
It's difficult to get over that.

(02:25):
It is, you feel like reallyreluctant.
So yeah, we might do thattomorrow, maybe.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, be cute.
Cool.
Well, this is She ChangedHistory.
We didn't say that at the top.
Welcome.
Simon's got a story for ustoday.
Yeah.

(02:47):
So today we are going to betalking about a trailblazer for
social reform, an American ladycalled Jane Addams.
Born in 1860, she is rememberedas one of the most influential
figures in the history ofAmerican social reform.
A remarkable life and work haveleft a lasting imprint on fields
ranging from social justice andwomen's rights to the

(03:08):
development of social work as aprofession.
Most famously, in 1931, shebecame the first American woman
to be awarded the Nobel PeacePrize for her tireless efforts
to foster global peace during atime of political tension and
war.
She is widely regarded as apioneering figure in social
work, with Hull House, thesettlement house she founded in
Chicago, Through Hull House, shenot only improved the conditions

(03:32):
of the working class, but alsochampioned the rights of women,
children and immigrants.
Today we're going to explore themany facets of Adam's life
ultimately reflecting on how herwork continues to inspire social
reformers today.
Ooh, so the birth of socialwork, yeah?
Pretty much, yeah.
That's what I got.
Okay, what are we defining associal work?

(03:52):
Like helping those That'sinteresting.
Yeah, I, I sort of take socialwork as like giving assistance
and propping up people who don'tnecessarily have the means to
prop themselves up fordurability.
I agree.
So it's like acceptable stateintervention in Yes.
a citizen's well being.
Yeah, and it covers regardlessof who those people are.

(04:15):
So like children, immigrants,women.
Yeah You mentioned internationalcooperation.
So that's exciting.
Yeah So like born in 1860 a lifeextended into Periods covering
World War I.
Oh, of course, right.
We'll get on to like her,penchant for peace and diplomacy

(04:36):
later on.
I've given a couple of pictures.
So the first one is of HullHouse itself.
She started, I'm liking the sortof period photo with the
automobiles in the front.

video1572279143-1 (04:49):
Yeah,

audio1572279143-1 (04:49):
so they're really

video1572279143-1 (04:50):
early.

audio1572279143-1 (04:51):
So automobiles were like, 1900 ish.
Yeah, yeah.
and you can still see the horsesare in use.
Still a little horse carriage inthe back.
Yeah, so it's like a hybrid.
And, it looks a very well keptbuilding, so I imagine it's
quite new.
It looks new and shiny.
Yeah, and she's, We've gotanother photo of her in a pretty

(05:11):
ridiculous hat, but you know,fashion darling, fashion, in her
fineries, quite a few referencesfor today's mostly, excerpts and
things from books about herlife, both her life in social
work and also her sort ofcampaigns for peace.
so something from the NationalWomen's History Museum and the
Nobel Prize official website.
By the way, love the NationalWomen's History.

(05:34):
You get so much good facts fromthere and so much, I use it
every week.
That's true, that's true.
But I just love it.
but I've never heard of itbefore we started doing this.
No, no.
Okay.
So, Jane Addams was born, as Isaid, 1860, and she was born,

(05:56):
unlike many of our, subjects onShe Changed History, thanks for
listening, she was born into aprivileged family.
This was a family of, wealth andinfluence, in a place called

video1572279143-1 (06:07):
Cedarville,

audio1572279143-1 (06:08):
Illinois, September the 6th.
Her father, John H.

video1572279143-1 (06:12):
Adams,

audio1572279143-1 (06:13):
not the second president of the U.
S.,

video1572279143-1 (06:16):
just.

audio1572279143-1 (06:16):
Your name.
That's true.

video1572279143-1 (06:19):
there's

audio1572279143-1 (06:19):
two D's in Adams in her name.

video1572279143-1 (06:21):
Oh.
So

audio1572279143-1 (06:21):
it's completely different Adam.
It's like the

video1572279143-1 (06:22):
Adams family.
It's like

audio1572279143-1 (06:24):
the Adams family and literally, yeah.
Yeah.
There was a prosperousbusinessman,

video1572279143-1 (06:29):
Illinois

audio1572279143-1 (06:29):
state senator, so real power.

video1572279143-1 (06:31):
Yeah.

audio1572279143-1 (06:32):
Yeah.
Um, her mother, Sarah, came froma well established family.
Despite their wealth andinfluence, though, Adam's early
life was marked by personaltragedy, and her mother passed
away when she was just two yearsold.
And her father, though he was, aloving father, he had a lot on
his plate,

video1572279143-1 (06:50):
with

audio1572279143-1 (06:51):
his businesses, being a senator, you
know, his political duties werealways dragging his attention

video1572279143-1 (06:56):
away,

audio1572279143-1 (06:56):
so he was, loving but absent.

video1572279143-1 (06:58):
Yeah.

audio1572279143-1 (06:59):
Yeah.
So Jane was raised predominantlyby her stepmother and sisters,
which gave her this sort ofearly sense of independence.
So she

video1572279143-1 (07:08):
so she

audio1572279143-1 (07:08):
had siblings.
Yeah.
She had siblings.
Yeah.
Okay.
So she wasn't isolating I alwaysthink of like Ada Lovelace and I
feel like she was quiteisolated.
And she really was likedeliberately isolated by her
family.
Wasn't she sort of shut?
Yeah.
So she has a lot warmer.
Yeah.
Yeah, she was always anexceptional student and from a

(07:29):
young age showed a keen interestin intellectual pursuits but
This being late 19th century, itdoesn't matter how prosperous a
family you come from or howintellectually, fantastic you
are.
The educational opportunitiesfor her were limited because she
was a she.
Oh, okay.

(07:50):
So it was like one of thoseprivate tutor situations, was
it?
And then I think so.

video1572279143-1 (07:56):
Yeah.

audio1572279143-1 (07:56):
Yeah.
she did

video1572279143-1 (07:57):
managed to,

audio1572279143-1 (07:58):
in 1881, she was very determined to continue
her education and she enrolledat the Rockford Female Seminary,
Which is a progressive,progressive institution, uh,
really promoted intellectualdevelopment for women.
A progressive institution.
Like a uni, but not a uni.
A seminary is typicallysomewhere that, teaches

(08:20):
religious studies.
Okay.
Scripture, theology.
But this was wider than justthat.
And she covered, literature,history, philosophy.
and her experiences here reallyhad a lasting impact.
They broadened her world viewand strengthened her resolve to
challenge the social norms ofthe time.
Okay, so we're saying like hervalues were from education

(08:43):
rather from like family,immediate family.
From what I've read, yeah, yeah,there's certainly some influence
from her father.
I mean, a

video1572279143-1 (08:53):
senator.

audio1572279143-1 (08:54):
Yeah, it's a position of power, but also the,
public office is a sacrifice.
You do it because you want tomake change, because you want to
make things better.
Yeah, I understand.
Although the actual sort of timefrom her father may have been
limited.
There's definitely that sort ofethos of public service already
in her family.
I know he's not a, I know he'snot a senator, but did you see

(09:15):
Trump's new, official officeportrait?
I did, yeah.
Oh my god, we're all gonna die.
It was like super villain 101.
He copied his mugshot, didn'the?
When he was arrested.
Yeah, pretty sure.
But also he reminded me of, likea villain from like Despicable

(09:37):
Me or something.
I'm sure that's the vibe he wasgoing for.
Yeah, I was just like, oh, I seeyou, Trump.
I like the difference betweenhis and JD Vance's.
And JD Vance's sort of supersmiley and tripper.
Yeah, and a lot more,conventional, trump's picture is
very different from the one heused for his first term in
office.
I didn't compare.
In that first one, he is smileyand friendly and welcoming, but

(10:01):
he looks far more hardened inthis one.
Um, after she graduated in 1882,Adams, like many women of that
era, faced societal pressure tomarry and settle down.
That was the sort of normalprogression, but her vision
extended beyond thesetraditional roles she was
determined to find her own path,one that would allow her to make

(10:21):
a meaningful impact on society.
Her journey would take her toChicago, where she would
eventually found Hull House,marking the beginning of her
transformative work in social

video1572279143-1 (10:30):
reform.
Okay,

audio1572279143-1 (10:33):
so

video1572279143-1 (10:33):
so she,

audio1572279143-1 (10:34):
Like a gap year vibe that feels like, like
I'm gonna find my own path guys.
Well, it's funny you mentionedgap, it's more like gap seven
years.

video1572279143-1 (10:44):
Okay.

audio1572279143-1 (10:45):
whole house really.
We're privileged.

video1572279143-1 (10:47):
Yeah.
That's fine.

audio1572279143-1 (10:49):
Jumping forward to

video1572279143-1 (10:50):
1889 where

audio1572279143-1 (10:52):
she'd been traveling and reflecting for
several years.
Um, having a good old think, youknow.
I have the biggest gap here allthe time, I love it.
Just sort of wafting around,thinking what society needs.
She and her friend, Ellen GatesStarr, established Hull House in

(11:13):
a poor immigrant neighbourhoodon the west side of Chicago.
it's what was called asettlement house, which, offered
social services.
and educational programs to helpimprove the lives of the city's
most disadvantaged residents.
So they did this really as aresponse to really severe
poverty and squalid livingconditions and that many of the

(11:35):
immigrants, particularly thosefrom Eastern and Southern Europe
who were arriving at the time,faced when they arrived in the
US.
So she set this up herself?
She set this up.
I bought a house, this is beinginvolved in it from

video1572279143-1 (11:48):
the ground up.

audio1572279143-1 (11:50):
From the ground up, and

video1572279143-1 (11:52):
mean, the whole house is

audio1572279143-1 (11:53):
maybe a bit of a misleading name because
this is much larger than

video1572279143-1 (11:56):
than a

audio1572279143-1 (11:56):
house.
This is

video1572279143-1 (11:58):
a

audio1572279143-1 (11:58):
proper Was it that

video1572279143-1 (11:59):
entire photo?

audio1572279143-1 (12:00):
Was it all Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's a massive building.

video1572279143-1 (12:02):
That building.
Oh,

audio1572279143-1 (12:03):
I

video1572279143-1 (12:03):
I assumed it

audio1572279143-1 (12:03):
was just this house on the corner.
Oh,

video1572279143-1 (12:05):
no, it's,

audio1572279143-1 (12:06):
it's the whole, like

video1572279143-1 (12:08):
it's,

audio1572279143-1 (12:08):
it's the whole shebang.
Yeah.
Wow.

video1572279143-1 (12:10):
And she's setting it, up.
it looks like a

audio1572279143-1 (12:12):
a hospital.

video1572279143-1 (12:13):
Yeah.
It

audio1572279143-1 (12:13):
It does look better, doesn't it?
Well, yeah, I mean, like insize.
Sorry.
Like

video1572279143-1 (12:16):
a

audio1572279143-1 (12:17):
3, 4, 5 five levels.

video1572279143-1 (12:20):
five flights, five levels.
Yeah, my God.

audio1572279143-1 (12:21):
I didn't appreciate that.
She's set this up not

video1572279143-1 (12:24):
just as

audio1572279143-1 (12:25):
a charitable institution.
This is

video1572279143-1 (12:27):
not

audio1572279143-1 (12:27):
that I'm knocking soup kitchens, but it's
not like a, it's not just a soupkitchen.
You come in, you get something,you leave, off you go.
She's really wanted to make

video1572279143-1 (12:36):
it

audio1572279143-1 (12:36):
a hub

video1572279143-1 (12:37):
for,

audio1572279143-1 (12:38):
like, social reform.

video1572279143-1 (12:39):
Okay.

audio1572279143-1 (12:40):
Um, It's like 24

video1572279143-1 (12:42):
seven.

audio1572279143-1 (12:42):
Yeah, so her ethos was not simply providing
handouts, but she really wantedto empower the community and
give them the sort of resources,the tools, the knowledge, to
move their lives forward.
Do you think these immigrantscoming over with very little
from Eastern and SouthernEurope, come along from one type

(13:04):
of poverty to another, notspeaking the language.
Struggling to get jobs, maybenot trained in the jobs

video1572279143-1 (13:09):
that were around

audio1572279143-1 (13:10):
at the time, don't have any legal

video1572279143-1 (13:12):
aid.

audio1572279143-1 (13:13):
So she's really trying to help
particularly the immigrants,help them like adapt to American
society while also respectingtheir cultural identities.
So she provided things likeEnglish language classes, job
training, legal aid, and thenother services around it.

video1572279143-1 (13:28):
there

audio1572279143-1 (13:28):
was a kindergarten and daycare so that
working mums could.
actually go out to work, othereducational classes for adults.
It's given me a lot of NellieBly vibes.
Yeah.
Because it's a really similartimeframe.
Yeah.
She was in New York, wasn't she?
And the thing about Englishlanguage classes, you know,

(13:51):
where those people were trappedbecause they couldn't speak.
Yeah, so the fact that thesepeople, A, aren't even trapped,
it's like a refuge, and B, she'salready thinking about what do
these people actually need toget on with this society?
They need to speak English andshe's proactively, it feels like

(14:11):
anyway, doing those things thatNellie had to uncover and had to
point out because people weren'toffering that.
Isn't that interesting?
If you haven't listened to italready, go back to the Nellie
Bly episode, because that was,for those who haven't heard it,
was these, I mean, they calledthem mental asylums at the time,
that Nellie went intoundercover, but so many of the

(14:32):
people in those asylums, werenot mentally ill, they were just
foreign, and they were onlythere because they couldn't
speak English.
They can't get a job.
They can't speak English.
They have no legalrepresentation.
This is then where they end up.
so you're absolutely right.
Yeah.
These are teaching them English,just giving them these

(14:55):
foundations to

video1572279143-1 (14:57):
survive.

audio1572279143-1 (14:59):
the

video1572279143-1 (15:00):
influence of Hull House

audio1572279143-1 (15:01):
though, which was really the first of its
kind, extended far beyond thewalls of the building itself.
it became a model for over 400similar settlement houses across
the country.
Oh nice, so it's like ablueprint.
Yeah.
So as a response to this, thatsort of blueprint

video1572279143-1 (15:17):
of

audio1572279143-1 (15:18):
don't just give handouts but actually
enable people, don't lock themup, just give them the training
so that they can integrate.
And it's not trying to wipetheir

video1572279143-1 (15:26):
identity.

audio1572279143-1 (15:27):
these people are still Italian.
Of course, yeah.
Whatever, they just nowhopefully have the tools to
integrate into society.
And that's because it was sosuccessful.
Yeah.
The, the 400s go from one to400.
400 is amazing, isn't it?
Yeah.
What?
That's 400 cities she's helpedpotentially, isn't it?
Yeah.

(15:48):
And so she's really on like thefront line here after her many
years of wafting around andthinking about things, she's
really dived into the front lineof the poorest.
Like in addition to thepractical services that they
provided at Hull House, it alsobecame a center for intellectual
and political engagement.
So, Jane.

(16:08):
and other social reformers atHull House worked closely with
political leaders and scholarsto address issues then like
child labour, workers rights andwomen's

video1572279143-1 (16:17):
suffrage.

audio1572279143-1 (16:19):
They were instrumental in shaping

video1572279143-1 (16:21):
development

audio1572279143-1 (16:21):
of social work as a profession, laying the
groundwork

video1572279143-1 (16:24):
future generations

audio1572279143-1 (16:24):
of social workers and activists.
Nice.
so she really touched everycorner.
Like activists, suffragettes,

video1572279143-1 (16:34):
education, health,

audio1572279143-1 (16:36):
kindergarten, like she's covering all bases,
it's insane.
And it feels like a sort of

video1572279143-1 (16:40):
escalating,

audio1572279143-1 (16:41):
she's like moving up the ladder of
empowerment and influence.
She's starting off just reallywith the

video1572279143-1 (16:48):
empowering them to

audio1572279143-1 (16:50):
get a job, not get arrested, not get sent

video1572279143-1 (16:52):
to

audio1572279143-1 (16:52):
the asylum to provide for their family.
And once that's more lockeddown, she's going on to then the
more Structural societal reformsand campaigning

video1572279143-1 (17:02):
the things

audio1572279143-1 (17:03):
that actually now these people have got jobs.
Well, they need rights for thosejobs.
Their kids shouldn't be working.
If these people are working andcontributing to society, they
should have a vote.
Why is this, why is this pointof view of half of the
population being ignored?
Jane, she's so on it.

(17:24):
Her work at Hull House marked adefining moment in the
development of social reform inAmerica.
A holistic approach toaddressing poverty and
inequality, which combinedsocial services with activism
and advocacy, became a blueprintfor later social welfare
programs in the U.
S.
Furthermore, her emphasis oncommunity engagement and
empowerment made her a pioneerin the field of social work.

(17:46):
I guess, the closest these daysoutside of social work is
charities, maybe like Oxfam, forexample.
I don't necessarily know enoughabout Oxfam to really be
commenting, but it's just myimpression of them.
In that you get these two sidesof it, in that you have the one
side which is, almost handouts,but providing aid for people,
and the other side is thecampaigning activism, lobbying,

(18:10):
then for larger social reforms.
As well to try and prevent thething that they are helping out
with.
I'm guessing now, but like theultimate goal of a place like
this is that it's no longerneeded.
And that will, it's becausethat's passing the ladder down
to the next generation, isn'tit?
It's like, yeah, we've created asafe society.
You, yeah.

video1572279143-1 (18:31):
can

audio1572279143-1 (18:31):
thrive independently now.
I think that's true for allcharities, I guess, to a certain
degree, isn't it?
Like utopian.
Yeah.
We don't need to be here.
It's really interesting that shecame from privilege, but this
seems to be the first majorthing she did.
Because she didn't do it halfheartedly either.
This isn't like a side hustle.
This is like a passion, like apart of her identity.

(18:54):
And it's a passion that justkeeps expanding throughout her
life.
And you see so much in,particularly with poverty, of it
repeating, it's a repeatingcycle through the generations.
So the parents can't providegood nutrition, can't provide
education, and then that getspassed on to the next generation
who just repeat this cycle.
So she's really trying to, getthem out of this cycle.

(19:18):
Okay.
and get the, societal structuresin place to support them then
when they do.
Mm hmm.
While she was perhaps best knownfor her work at Hull House, she
was also an outspoken advocatefor women's rights and peace.
Her commitment to pacifismbecame particularly evident
during World War I.

(19:39):
She led efforts to organiseinternational peace conferences
and encouraged diplomacy betweenwarring nations.
International peace, that's notan easy thing during World War
I.
Is it?
It's really not, no.
Hang on a second, guys.
Has everyone, calmed down?

(20:00):
So you've got the world plunginginto war and at this point she's
arguing passionately that warwas a destructive and
unnecessary force and sheinstead believed that diplomacy
and dialogue rather thanviolence were the keys to
resolving these internationaldisputes.
So, did she actually, she gotpeople around the table, did
she?
Like, it wasn't protesting inthe street, this was like an

(20:22):
actual intervention.
I mean, we're jumping forward to1915 now.
So a year after the start ofWorld War I, and that's when she
helped establish the Women'sInternational League for Peace
and Freedom, which is anorganization dedicated to
promoting peace and women'sinvolvement in political
decision making.

(20:43):
Women's involvement in thedecision making.
Mate, so she's like, these guys,they're just cheering each other
apart, look what we can do.
Gosh, she had cuts, didn't she?
She pretty did, yeah.
What a good thing.
Ballsy lady.
Good for her.
The So the mission of thisleague, Women's International

(21:05):
League for Peace and Freedom,she really wanted to challenge
the militaristic andnationalistic tendencies of the
times, advocating instead forcooperation and understanding
between nations.
her work with the League, wascentral to her peace efforts,
and she used this platform tohighlight the devastating impact
of war, particularly on womenand children.
So it ties in with her earlierwork, she's seen these refugees,

(21:28):
these immigrants coming from wartorn countries, she's seen the
impact of it, she's helped sortof try and band aid over it, and
is now really going to thesource.
It's really seamless as

video1572279143-1 (21:38):
well,

audio1572279143-1 (21:38):
like there's such a synergy between that and
this.
she must have been listened toas well.
She, I guess if you're, ifyou've come from one to 400
houses, like you're respected inthat world, aren't you?
So she must have had realinfluence over those
discussions.
Like a real platform.
Definitely a platform.
Yeah.

(21:59):
Card.
Amazing.
She was a staunch supporter ofwomen's rights, including the
fight for suffrage.
So this is all around the timeof the suffragette movement.
She saw women's enfranchisementas a critical step towards
achieving a more just andequitable society.
Advocacy for Women's Rights waspart of a broader vision of

(22:20):
gender equality that alsoincluded improvements in labour
laws, education, and healthcare.
Gosh, she was ahead of her time,weren't she?
Really was.
like, a broader vision forgender equality.
We could be doing some of thatnow.
That'd be great right now.
Well, yeah, it's like the bigthree, isn't it?
Gender equality in labour laws.
Equal pay, um, education,educational outcomes for girls

(22:42):
and healthcare, where still, aswe recorded last week, you know,
things still are not researchfunded, acknowledged,
recognised, resolved adequatelyfor sort of women specific
healthcare.
She believed that women had aunique perspective on social
issues and should have a voicein shaping public policy.

(23:02):
Um, right.
We are 50 percent of the nation.
Yes.
I think saying it with a littlebit of a sing song really gave
you more gravitas there.
Thank you.
You know, I got, that was someof my feedback from my graduate
programme was that I don't haveany gravitas and therefore, I
would find it challenging in theworkplace What they told you

(23:25):
that.
Of course, yeah, it's feedbackfrom my first placement

video1572279143-1 (23:28):
you tell

audio1572279143-1 (23:29):
them to off?
Well, no, because I was 21.

video1572279143-1 (23:32):
Oh,

audio1572279143-1 (23:33):
Oh, man.
I know.
So it's kind of a bit of atrigger word for me.
Like anything, I'm

video1572279143-1 (23:38):
well, do I?
Do I?
Did I do it?
Sometimes I worry I have toomuch gravitas.
Or did you steal my gravitas?
You You did.
What happened?
I think I might be confusinggravitas with volume though..
Kat and I are going back to theHarry Potter books.
We're reading a chapter a night.

(23:58):
You're too cute, you guys.
And, last night, because we needto start talking to the baby.
So 16 weeks now and the baby canhear outside noises.
I love that first sounds ofHarry Potter.
It's Harry Potter, chapter 12 ofthe Philosopher's Stone.
Yeah, all about Quidditch.
I'm not used to reading booksaloud.
And Kat pointed out after fiveminutes that I maybe needed to

(24:21):
just turn down the volumeslightly and, um, like use my
normal speaking voice ratherthan Your criticism is so
strong.
Harry and Hermione walk down thecorridor.
It's unnecessary.
Oh, I love how Cat was fed backto you.
Like, no, no, no.

(24:44):
What are you doing with yourvoice?
Where's your normal voice gone?
That was funny.
Jane placed, so you imagine1915, the world is in this
nationalistic fervor.
It's called a world war for areason.
Uh, absolutely brutal time.
And she actually faced a lot ofcriticism, and opposition for

(25:06):
her pacifism during this time,it was really going against the
grain.
The general vibe between theleaders and those in charge,
they're pretty war hungry.
She remained resolute in herbeliefs.
and kept campaigning, throughthe league.
and it was then in 1931 that herwork in the peace movement

(25:27):
earned her recognition aroundthe world and she was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize for herlifelong efforts to promote
peace and internationalcooperation.
So she got honoured at the righttime as well, it wasn't like
Lisa Mitre.
She was, Kind of snubbed, wasn'tshe, for her contribution, but
it seems like Jane'scontribution was noted in a

(25:48):
timely fashion, yeah.
Yeah, while she was still alive,which makes a change.
How rare! How rare, yeah.
Throughout her life, shereceived numerous accolades and
recognition of her extraordinarycontributions to, a modest list
of things, just social reform,world peace and women's rights.
They're big topics, Si, they'reso big.

(26:10):
I wouldn't even know where tostart.
I know.

audio1572279143-1 (26:15):
She received several honorary degrees from
prestigious universities,including Yale and Columbia.
A frequent speaker atinternational conferences,
respected for her intellectualcontributions to social theory
and policy.
Her place in history as a leaderin the settlement house
movement, a champion of women'ssuffrage, and a pioneering
figure in the peace movement,cemented her reputation as one

(26:36):
of the foremost social reformersof the time.
isn't it interesting that, doyou think in the nicest way, do
you think she got all thisrecognition because women are
allowed to talk about peace andwomen are allowed to talk about
children and health care andthings like that, but if you're
Lisa Meitner, in World War II,which is not far off across the

(26:59):
pond.
It was so blocked off to herbecause it was Clearly
interesting.
Do you think it's because it'smale dominated?
STEM's more male dominated thanthis.
This is welfare, isn't it?
And this is probably morefeminine, I guess, quote
unquote, as a topic.
Maybe that's why she got Becausethis is insane.

(27:19):
can you imagine Lisa Minor goingto Yale and being accepted?
I just couldn't.
Yeah, here we've got honorarydegrees.
Yeah, I hadn't considered that,but it really is a sort of stick
to your lane situation.
It feels like I could be wrong,but that's the, obviously we're
talking about differentsocieties as well.
We're talking about US versusEurope, but I don't know, I
wonder how much sort ofrecognition a man speaking about

(27:42):
peace rather than being awarmonger or a scientist on the
flip side would have Would'vegot for that?
Is that, yeah, maybe sort ofsocietally.
It's a bit jarring.
Like an unconscious bias.
Uh, yeah.
That person shouldn't be talkingabout that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It was just inter,

video1572279143-1 (27:58):
I just

audio1572279143-1 (27:59):
can't believe how well she was like all these

video1572279143-1 (28:02):
accolades

audio1572279143-1 (28:03):
that, it's a

video1572279143-1 (28:04):
lot,

audio1572279143-1 (28:04):
isn't it?
It's a vast, yeah.
get that so much these days aswell, and I think like, the
Manosphere movement and the sortof ultra masculine.
What's Manosphere?
What's that?
Oh, the Manosphere refers to,podcasts and social media and
things, of like, Andrew Tate andsimilar.
Oh, Manosphere! That's a newterm.
Yeah.

(28:24):
Which is, like promotingmasculinity, promoting
traditional male values, butit's still difficult, for men to
talk about things that aren't todo with, being strong and,
demeaning women and things.
They are seen as less masculine.
And still women who, like, maybetalk about sport or something

(28:45):
are seen as less feminine.
It's something that's still, ohGod, it's depressing how little
things have changed.
But that's not taken away fromanything she did.
It was just interesting.
normally we hear, oh, and shewasn't recognised until she
died.
But actually, Jane Eyre seems tobe, and I guess some of that
will come from her privilege,but it seems to be that she got

(29:05):
timely recognition, which isvery, very welcomed on the
border.
Definitely.
Um, there's recognition that shegot.
I mean, her work for thesettlement houses was in the US
and social reform there,although the sort of principles
of it definitely spread furtherafield, but her peace advocacy,
she was respected and admiredfor it in Europe as well,

(29:28):
especially in the aftermath ofthe Great War, because she spent
so much time coming over toEurope and, advocating over here
and these internationalconferences that she would speak
at.
She was a real global advocatefor this.
Her global recognition reallyreflected the universal appeal
of her message that peace,social justice, and equality
were interconnected andnecessary for a better world.

(29:52):
I really like that so often,problems are seen in isolation,
or without thinking more aboutthe root cause of them, and the
fixes that you give with, as shecalled them, handouts and
things, is a sticking plasterover a problem, rather than
actually looking at the rootcause.
And it seems that so much ofwhat she campaigned for was to

(30:15):
resolve these root causes.
Like, yeah, she had a deepunderstanding.
Yeah.
She really saw that big pictureof how it all fits together.
they sound like three bigtopics, but really they're all
interconnected.
They're all the same thing.
Like, same topic, same solution,You know what

video1572279143-1 (30:32):
it's

audio1572279143-1 (30:32):
making me think of, which is completely
left field, is Jamie Oliver andhis school dinners.
He never got to the root causeall at all to do was that
there's lack of school fundingand that there's, lack of
education on how to cook healthyfood.
Right.
And all he did was take turkeytwizzlers away.

(30:53):
And then when he left, There's areally interesting show if you
listen to maintenance phase I'dlisten to Jamie Oliver episode
because they really go into howhe achieved zero during that 10
year stint and He couldn't makea healthy meal within the
school's budget But because itwas a channel 4 documentary and

(31:14):
they needed to show an arc Hejust said oh I did it No And it
just shows that he didn't go tothe root cause of that, which
was, funding for schools.
He got Blair to give like a oneoff donation or something.
but that was it.
And it's like, no, that's notreform,

video1572279143-1 (31:35):
it?

audio1572279143-1 (31:35):
That's

video1572279143-1 (31:35):
what

audio1572279143-1 (31:35):
you're talking about here.
You're talking about like whatcan give people a better
projection.
And yeah, yeah, all I'm hearingis Jamie Oliver moaning about,
about Turkey Twizzlers.
Oh, nice try though, Jamie.
Yeah.

(31:56):
But like the school dinner sortof thing, you look at that and
that, for me, comes back to,like, general education around
healthy cooking and how to buysensibly.
And it's those three pillarsthat

video1572279143-1 (32:11):
you

audio1572279143-1 (32:11):
just

video1572279143-1 (32:11):
spoke about.

audio1572279143-1 (32:11):
about.
It's, Healthcare, it'seducation, and it's having time
because it takes time to go tothe

video1572279143-1 (32:18):
shop and

audio1572279143-1 (32:18):
buy fresh things.
And it takes time, which islabour and equality.
So it's all those three pillarsthat Jane Addams worked out a
hundred years before Jamie.

video1572279143-1 (32:26):
Yeah,

audio1572279143-1 (32:28):
it takes time and it takes money

video1572279143-1 (32:29):
to either

audio1572279143-1 (32:30):
either hop in the car or get on the bus or

video1572279143-1 (32:31):
or

audio1572279143-1 (32:32):
so it's like I wonder how much like free
public transport would

video1572279143-1 (32:36):
help

audio1572279143-1 (32:37):
healthy meals.

video1572279143-1 (32:38):
Oh my god, so much.
I

audio1572279143-1 (32:40):
find this interconnectedness of everything
is so fascinating and she reallyseemed to understand it and hit
on

video1572279143-1 (32:46):
it

audio1572279143-1 (32:46):
and you can see the different phases of her
life.
She really tried to addressthese sort of different facets
of the problem.
Nice.
her work at Hull House reallylay foundation for modern social
work profession,

video1572279143-1 (32:59):
and

audio1572279143-1 (33:00):
advocacy for women's rights and peace
continues to inspire movementsfor social justice today.
She demonstrated this

video1572279143-1 (33:06):
combination,

audio1572279143-1 (33:08):
like we were talking

video1572279143-1 (33:08):
about,

audio1572279143-1 (33:08):
with Charities as well have both
direct action and advocacy

video1572279143-1 (33:12):
make

audio1572279143-1 (33:12):
more structural changes,

video1572279143-1 (33:14):
Okay.

audio1572279143-1 (33:14):
showing that addressing

video1572279143-1 (33:15):
social

audio1572279143-1 (33:16):
problems require both immediate solutions
and long term systemic change.
Her efforts to improve the livesof immigrants

video1572279143-1 (33:22):
the

audio1572279143-1 (33:22):
poor were way ahead of their

video1572279143-1 (33:24):
their

audio1572279143-1 (33:24):
time.

video1572279143-1 (33:25):
Her Hull

audio1572279143-1 (33:25):
House not only

video1572279143-1 (33:26):
served as a

audio1572279143-1 (33:26):
model for settlement houses, but also
influenced public policy onissues like child labour and
urban development.
and her campaigns helped shapethe labour reforms that would
later be

video1572279143-1 (33:35):
enshrined

audio1572279143-1 (33:36):
in law.
But perhaps her most lastingimpact lies in her pioneering
work for peace, at a time wherepeace seemed pretty unimaginable
in the, like, the depths ofWorld War I.
nationalism and militarism onthe rise but she had this vision
of the world where countrieswork together for a common good,

(33:57):
and that seemed a really radicalconcept at the time.
That's NATO, isn't

video1572279143-1 (34:01):
it?

audio1572279143-1 (34:02):
Well, the UN, yeah,

video1572279143-1 (34:03):
the sort

audio1572279143-1 (34:04):
commitment to diplomacy and cooperation

video1572279143-1 (34:06):
laid the

audio1572279143-1 (34:06):
groundwork for later peace movements, as
well as for organisations likethe United Nations.
Oh, well done, Vicky.
Well done,

video1572279143-1 (34:13):
Vicky, yeah.

audio1572279143-1 (34:14):
Thank you.
Very well spotted.
So what she did

video1572279143-1 (34:17):
gave the

audio1572279143-1 (34:18):
a path to the UN.
That's what we're saying.
Yeah.
And a template for this ideathat actually, let's just take a
step back.
Let's have neutral territorywhere we can discuss things,
understand each other, come to,there is an alternative solution
to this other than just like, Iwant that bit of land.

(34:42):
Like she was in those peacetalks in the war.
Yeah.
So a lot of transferable,skills, but she's applying them
to slightly differentconversations.
Yeah, and so much what she doesseem to have resulted in a
template.
Oh god I love a template or ablueprint or a procedure

(35:04):
Amazing, isn't it?
And like she set up this almostproof of concept in whole house.
It's like Here's what you cando, here's how

video1572279143-1 (35:12):
do

audio1572279143-1 (35:12):
it, here's the impact it has.
What do they call that?
A flagship store, they callthat.
Oh yeah.
Commercial world, like you'vegot that shiny Oxford street
shop.
Yeah.
So she, the

video1572279143-1 (35:23):
whole house was a flagship

audio1572279143-1 (35:24):
shop, I've got a closing paragraph here.
Today Adams's legacy remainsrelevant as debates about social
justice, gender equality, andglobal peace continue to
dominate Her life is a testamentto the power of one individual
to challenge the status quo andchange the world.
Through her pioneering work insocial reform, women's rights,
and peace, Jane Adams reshapedAmerican society and made an

(35:44):
indelible mark on the course ofhistory.
An indelible mark.
Oh, hey.
That's kind of Mark.
that was such an uplifting,hopeful.
I feel hopeful.
Yeah.
That idea of a blueprint,because obviously there'll be
changes, of course, like notevery city is like west side of

(36:04):
Chicago, but like at least it'sa foot in the door, isn't it?
but gosh, gosh, she achieved alot.
Wow.
But it's really made medistinguish between the one off
sticking plaster solutions andthen things that you can put
your time into that actuallymake more of a systemic change.

(36:25):
Okay.
Which really then I supposeBecause these changes that she
made really multiplied theeffect of the input that she
put, that she gave.
She could have spent that sameamount of time just helping
people as a one off thing, andthen when she stopped it would
have stopped.
That's that, like regenerational dinners.
Yes.
But putting time into thesereal, lasting changes of

(36:48):
attitude and changes of systemand process, it's such a massive
impact.
Solution orientated, we'd say atthe OU.
I love that.
Yeah, honestly, I feel so likechange can happen, can't it, in
mass scales.
Yeah, it's a bit of a different

video1572279143-1 (37:03):
vibe to

audio1572279143-1 (37:04):
to my last subject.

video1572279143-1 (37:06):
my last subject.
Yeah, yeah, hope.
I'm

audio1572279143-1 (37:08):
so.
Yeah, good.
More hopeful, please, which isgreat.

video1572279143-1 (37:11):
So,

audio1572279143-1 (37:11):
yeah, thank you so much.
That's great.

video1572279143-1 (37:13):
lady.

audio1572279143-1 (37:14):
What an amazing lady.
That was Jane Addams,Trailblazer for Social Reform.
I'm Simon.
I'm Vicky.
Thank you for listening.
If you enjoyed it, please like,comment, rate, subscribe.
Any engagement is welcome.
Yeah, check out our Facebookpage.
She Changed History.
If you have any ideas of onesthat you want us to cover, if

(37:36):
you do want to push us out ofour comfort zone, we're more
than happy to take it on.
Give it a go.
Yeah, give it a go.
so you can email that toshechangedhistoryatgmail.
com and yeah, thank you so much.
It's it's really lovely learningthese things.
So hopefully you enjoyed it too.
Thank you.
Bye.
See you next time.
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