A Suffragette Shared 5 Pieces Of Marriage Advice For Young Women In 1918 That Honestly Still Apply Today
These hundred-year-old tips are still relevant in 2025.
Photos: gaiamoments, IVASHstudio, pixelshot | Design: YourTango In 1918, as women were fighting for the right to vote, a suffragette's pamphlet on marriage offered candid advice to young ladies navigating their futures.
The pamphlet, now on display at the Pontypridd Museum in Wales, gave practical — and brutally honest — insight into the nature of marriage. Some of these reflections may seem dated, but much of it still resonates with modern-day women.
Here are five pieces of marriage advice for young women in 1918 that still apply today:
1. 'Do not marry at all.'
This first piece of advice was perhaps the most radical. While many women today proudly choose to remain single, it was a far more extreme decision a hundred years ago, when many women were taught that their goal in life should be to find a husband.
The fact of the matter is — in 1918 and in 2025 — marriage benefits men more than it does women. The labor gap still persists, and data shows that men create seven hours more of housework a week. Moreover, studies show that unmarried, childless women are the happiest demographic.
This piece of advice encourages women to pursue their own dreams and aspirations, free from the societal pressure to find a man and settle down.
2. 'But if you must, avoid the beauty men, flirts, and the bounders.'
Of course, not everyone is willing to forgo marriage. So, if you must wed, the pamphlet suggested avoiding beauty men, flirts, bounders, tailor's dummies, and football enthusiasts. Bounders referred to men who behaved immorally, especially in their relationships with women.
In other words, avoid players and chronic bachelors — certainly sound advice today.
3. 'Look for a strong, tame man.'
Rui Silvestre | Design: Unsplash
The pamphlet warned that most men are "lazy, selfish, thoughtless, lying, drunken, clumsy, heavy-footed, rough, unmanly brutes." Ouch! That's certainly a cynical take.
Of course, not all men are so bad, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was especially important for a woman to marry a genuinely good man, as women had very limited rights. The National Women's History Alliance pointed out that women could not yet vote, could not own property, and were forbidden from higher education and many professions. Wives were entirely dependent on their husbands, who could hurt them with impunity.
Today, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, over a third of American women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. Yet, the Trump administration, and especially Vice President JD Vance, is pushing for the end of no-fault divorce. Even in 2025, marrying the wrong man can have detrimental consequences.
4. 'If you want him to be happy, feed the brute.'
"The same remark applies to dogs," the suffragette joked. In other words, the way to a man’s — and a dog's — heart is through his stomach.
In Marjorie Swift's 1925 book, "Feed the Brute," she wrote, "The well-fed man is a happy man — and a very easily ‘managed’ one too. And since we women know that to maintain harmony every man however clever, however efficient, however charming, must be ‘managed’; let us feed him well first and manage him afterwards."
Of course, it's not a woman's job to cook and clean for her husband. But that doesn't mean there isn't some validity to the power of a good meal.
5. 'You will be wiser not to chance it.'
Kateryna Hliznitsova | Unsplash
Calling back to her first piece of advice, the suffragette ended her pamphlet with a stark warning: "You will be wiser not to chance it, it isn’t worth the risk."
In an era when women had fewer rights and opportunities, marriage often meant losing one’s autonomy. Today, this piece of advice serves as a friendly reminder to be cautious of what relationships we enter into.
Erika Ryan is a writer working on her bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers relationships, psychology, self-help, and human interest topics.