Woman Question

Kitty Kielland's Contribution

Kitty Kielland's verve and confidence, scathing wit, and indignant ability (and willingness) to point out stupidity and hubris underpin her entry in the late nineteenth-century argument about "The Woman Question."

This major contribution to the expansion of women's right in Scandinavia helped frame the discussion within church and social movements throughout Europe and North America. The Woman Question remains significant today for its framing of discussions about gender and equality as both a fundamental human right and a necessary component of any Christian social policy.

Ultimately, Kielland's summary of her position, justified by the Bible and her life experiences, remains both compelling in its own right and a devastating rebuke to all those who would claim an authority to speak for others: "My argument is that every free person wants to have a personal, independent identity, and I do not see why we should not have the right to want it."

This edition is the first translation into English of Kitty Kielland's The Woman Question.