Speaker
Laura Ball (York University)
Title
Catharine Cox Miles: Silent or Silenced Feminist?
Abstract
Catharine Cox Miles (1890-1984) is most well known for her work with Lewis M. Terman on the Terman-Miles Masculinity-Femininity (M-F) Test. The M-F test was first presented in the book Sex and Personality (1936) – a book that contributed to the psychological understanding of sex and gender and its assessment for decades after its publication. Terman and Miles put forward the idea that good mental health can only be achieved when one’s gender is dictated by their sex. Taking such a stance has left Miles with a legacy as a ‘silent feminist’ – one who could have used their work to construct a feminist critique of science, but chose not to (Morawksi & Agronick, 1991). However, in order to make such a claim, Miles’ own perspective must be analyzed more closely. Using archival records, her views on sex and gender, and the degree to which she was able to express herself through her work with Terman can be more fully examined. I will argue that Miles was not a silent feminist, as has been previously suggested, but would in fact be better understood as a ‘silenced’ feminist.
Note
The paper that accompanies this presentation will be pre-circulated and should be read prior to attending the colloquium. If you wish to attend, but have not yet received a copy of the paper, please contact the Colloquium Coordinator, Jacy Young via email.