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Interview with Constance Backhouse, author of Petticoats and Prejudice—Women’s History Month

Oct 15, 2025

By CS Team

October is Women’s History Month in Canada! This month, Canadian Scholars and Women’s Press proudly honour the women who have helped shape Canada.

First published in 1991, Petticoats and Prejudice by Constance Backhouse broke new ground as the first comprehensive study of Canadian women’s legal history. With vivid storytelling and deep analysis, Backhouse brings life to the often-overlooked stories of women who navigated, challenged, and were shaped by the 19th-century legal system.

Drawing on historical records of women’s varying experiences as litigants, accused criminals, or witnesses, this book offers critical insight into women’s legal status in nineteenth-century Canada. In an effort to recover the social and political conditions under which women lobbied, rebelled, and in some cases influenced change, Petticoats and Prejudice weaves together forgotten stories of achievement and defeat in the Canadian legal system.

Want to hear more from the author herself? Watch our exclusive interview with Constance Backhouse on YouTube.

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