Clara Brett Martin: Canadian Heroine or Not?

Canadian Journal of Women and the Law 5:2 (1992) 263-79 and 351-4

17 Pages Posted: 22 May 2013

See all articles by Constance Backhouse

Constance Backhouse

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: 1992

Abstract

Recently, Clara Brett Martin, Canada's First woman lawyer, has been revealed to have been anti-semitic in her ideology and practices. Constance Backhouse profiles the information that has recently been discovered about this anti-semitism, attempting to locate it within the context of wider anti-semitism in the early 20th century Canadian society. She discusses the implications of these revelations for Clara Brett Martin's place within feminism, and attempts to reformulate the concept of historical “heroine” within an emerging feminist framework. She concludes that while Martin had significant gaps in her understanding of injustice and discrimination, there might still be room for her within an evolving, rehabilitated concept of “heroine.”

(Cette oeuvre est seulement disponible en anglais. Un résumé français suit.)

On a révélé dernièrement que Clara Brett martin, première femme avocate au Canada, avait une idéologie et des pratiques antisémites. Constance Backhouse fait état de renseignements découverts récemment à propos de cet antisémitisme, et elle essaie de les situer dans le contexte de l'antisémitisme plus général de la société canadienne au début de vingtième siècle. La professeure Backhouse discute des conséquences de ces révélations sur la place que Clara Brett Martin occupe au sein du mouvement féministe, et elle tente de redéfinir le concept d'héroïne, qui a été réhabilité et qui évolue, puisse encore la décrire.

Keywords: Clara, Brett, Martin, woman, female, lawyer, law, anti-semitic, anti-semitism, Backhouse, history, historical, biography, biographical, 1900s, 20th, century, Canada, Canadian, feminist, feminism, injustice, discrimination, discriminatory, racism, profession, rights, Jewish, religion, civil

Suggested Citation

Backhouse, Constance, Clara Brett Martin: Canadian Heroine or Not? (1992). Canadian Journal of Women and the Law 5:2 (1992) 263-79 and 351-4, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2268073

Constance Backhouse (Contact Author)

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada

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