Interview with Amelia Bloomer

Amelia Bloomer was born in Homer, New York, on the 27th of May, 1818. Formerly known as Amelia Jenks, she married her husband, Dexter Bloomer, at the age of 22 in 1840.

Bloomer was a known feminist in her day, and I was one of the lucky people to sit down and interview such a wise women as herself. Her curly hair was drawn neatly into a bun, and her stern, intelligent face broke into a smile every now and then.

Why do you believe that women should have the same rights as men?

“I believe that women should have the same rights as men because I know that women are capable of doing just as much as men are capable of doing, maybe even more at times! Why should women be at home all the time, when we can do so much more?

Women should be able to vote, and make decisions too. They have the right to, and get a full education just like the boys. We can study just as hard, we can work just as hard, we can do anything just as well if we just put our minds to it!”

What was it like to write for your husband’s newspaper, the Seneca Falls County Courier?

“My husband, Dexter, encouraged me to write my points of view. I was ecstatic to be able to share my thoughts and ideas. I mostly wrote about women’s rights and prohibition, which I thought were topics that needed to get out there in the country.

There were no other women working at the news paper then, it was me, and 30 other men working there. It was challenging at first, but soon everything flowed on well.”

What encouraged you or inspired you to start your own newspaper?

“Well, as you know I was writing for the “Seneca Falls County Courier”, and I thought that there should probably be at least one newspaper about suffrage and women´s rights, then I could express more of my ideas. Also, not everyone knew about my articles in the “Seneca Falls Country Courier”. Therefore, if there was one newspaper with this one topic, more people interested in it would read it since the topic is right there!

The people who encouraged me the most to start my own paper were my friends, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I met them at a convention and we quickly became friends, having so much in common and all.”

And that was how “The Lily” started. It was a huge success in its day, but “The Lily” stopped publication in 1855, when Amelia and her husband moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa.

How was it to be the first woman president of the Iowa Woman Suffrage Society?

“It was brilliant! I met and helped a lot of great women. I gave the Iowa Woman Suffrage Society a good name, and tried my best to promote women suffrage in the U.S, by, for example, speaking at rallies and public meetings.

I also lead many demonstrations in my day as president of Iowa Woman Suffrage society. We protested against the unfair situation and that women should be given the right to vote, and that we shouldn’t just sit at home. I also lead many delegations to discuss equal rights for women with government officials. I would say that I did good work for the best of womankind.”

And of course how was it to be a fashion role model when it came to “The bloomer”?

“Ah, yes, the bloomer outfit. Well, women weren’t really allowed to have pants at that time. It was frowned upon if anyone dared to. But when the bloomer outfit came along, it was a classy way to wear a dress and pants at the same time. Why should women wear dresses all the time? The bloomer promoted a new look for women. I wrote about it in “The Lily” to tell women everywhere to put down that corset, and try something that was comfortable. I myself wore it almost all the time. That´s where the name “the bloomer” came from.”

Amelia looked pleased at her accomplishments while telling me about them. A small smile crossed her face, her eyes sparkled as she reminisced and she looked happy.