A couple of months ago, while looking to download some titles for my Kindle I discovered some indie series called Mail-Order Brides. I realized what the topic might be about, but the images of the cover too convinced me to do not overcharge my e-book device with some non-sense.
When I started to read this book I assumed that it covers the usual angles on this topic, mainly the human trafficking and women abuse, but surprinsingly, there is a completely new perspective opened. Although there are cases of abuses, the mail-bride system can be, in fact, an opportunity for many women to improve their life. Far from portraying images of desperate women, ready to sell themselves from a visa, the author covers various historical and geographical cases when mail-brides were in fact the engine of change.
Definition
The cases extensively studied are Canada, and most specifically the US, starting with the 17th century.Although the author acknowledges the problematic choice of wording, she decides to keep the "mail-order" term, but for offering a critique and challenge the assumption of exploitation of the women using this system to acquire a husband. It is defined "as a marriage resulting from some form of advertisment or other public request, soliciting women to enter into a marriage with previously unknown man and typically travel a significant distance to complete this (...)". The definition excludes in any case the idea of women getting married against their own will. Mail-order husbands were also possible but at a smaller extent and not studied by the book.
History
The phenomenon started in the 17th century, mostly part of larger state plans to expand towards previously unconquered lands, both in Canada and the US. The mail-brides were thus part of a national policy aimed to dublicate the national family models. The relationships with Native Indian women were not encouraged and in some cases forbidden by law, being considered as "a danger for European men to abandon their civility". The rights of women moving to colonies were more generous compared to the Eastern coast of the US or Europe, they being offered equal wages with their male counterparts, the right to trade, to sue and to be sued, to sell property etc. The right to vote was offered first to women from the Western part of the US, long before those from the Eastern coast benefited of the same advantages. An interesting assumption of the book is that in fact the mail-bride systems contributed to the advancement of women's rights.
Another merit of the book is to offer a transversal perspective into the genesis of the elites and social classes in different American states.
In both the US and Canadian cases, 'the complex forces of feminism, imperialism, capitalism and racism created a situation in which divergent interests aligned to produce support for a variety of large-scale marital immigration programs'.
The medium
A special section is dedicated to analysing the ads aimed to attract potential suitors, after the Civil War when the state policies were less predominant in encouraging this kind of immigration. By the fact that the women authored or authorized the content of the ads, they were given more control over their marital process. Actually, this kind of process through which a marriage takes place is distinguished from the arranged marriages, which may explain why, for instance, India was not included as part of the cases analysed by the author.
In parallel with the spread of the phenomenon and the increase of women coming not only from Western Europe, but also from East and South Europe, or as far as from China or Japan, the negative perception of the mail-brides developped. It was reflected not only through the negative media reports, but in the prohibitive legislation aimed to discourage the process.
Now and then, there will always be men interested to marry overseas and women ready to leave a life of poverty and without hope. "Today's mail-order brides and grooms are not a throwback to an earlier, unenlightened time. Instead, like the most of us, they are simply men and women who believe marriage will improve their lives, and we should support this choice".
Overview
The book is seriously documented, based on a detailed bibliography which covers historical, literary, media, anthropological and legal sources. It covers well and clearly couple of good centuries and outlines new academic perspectives.
What I did miss was a more quantitative focus. The author herself reckon that statistics in the success rate of mail-order mariages are hard to verify, but more data and comparisons between different periods of time and the racial profile of women might have help to counter stereotypes about the issue.
A recommended read for both academics and journalist covering immigration related topics.
Disclaimer: I was offered the book for review part of the NetGalley.com network, but the opinions are, as always, my own.
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