Hey, I’m working on a video essay right now about Stephen Kings “The breathing method” which talks a lot about the general societal shittiness of being a single mother in the 1920s and I’m looking for essays or non fiction books about this topic or the general societal expectations of pregnancy but I don’t know where to start, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t have anything specific in mind but take a look at the poor law from the Victorian era. Lots of parishes in the U.K. refused to help single mothers if they had given birth outside of marriage.
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Try Married Love by Marie Stopes. It was THE book about sex, pregnancy and contraception in Britain in the early 20th century. That can give you a good background knowledge of what was common knowledge.
Also try the Irish government’s report into the unmarried mother’s homes.