Feminist and sexual reformers at the beginning of the 20th century

Feminist and sexual reformers at the beginning of the 20(th) century Feminist and sexual reformers at the beginning of the 20(th) century conceived love as a relation between two equal and autonomous personalities. Love was, on this condition, a realm where women's claim to subjecthood could be realized. Crucial to this love ethic was the claim to free choice in love matters with regard to both the beloved person and the design of the relation. However, within the context of widespread fears of disintegration in modern societies such 'free will' in the realm of intimacy was suspected of serving egoism and celebrating hedonism. Advocates of a "new" love ethic argued that, on the contrary, love would deploy its benefits for society only when liberated from interests external to the loving feeling. On that condition, love would refine mankind not only by realizing gender equality but also by entrusting reproduction to 'natural laws' and, thereby, guaranteeing the 'quality' of offspring. The article examines, in the writings of Ellen Key and Helene Stocker, this concurrence of utopias of perfection and the advocacy female subjecthood.