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Speaker, Judy Brady, Biography
Judy Brady was born in San Francisco in 1937 and earned a BFA in painting
from the University of Iowa. Brady has written essays on topics such as
union organizing, abortion, and the role of women in society. At the time
Judy Brady wrote her essay, “I Want a Wife” women were fighting for the
right to become an equal in the eyes of society, and winning the battle in
more ways than one. Women had earned the right to vote, and finally the
right to an abortion. While still lesser than men in several aspects, women
were covering new ground. When first publishing “I Want a Wife” she used
her married name of Syfers, but now goes by Judy Brady. Her husband and
she got a divorce and Mr. Syfers then went off to find a traditional wife, while
Brady found herself again. Rumors of why this divorce occurred had to do
with Brady’s essays. Judy Brady was inspired to write her famous piece at a
feminist consciousness-raising session. She was complaining about the issue
when someone said, “Why don’t you write about it?” She went home and did
so, completing the essay within a few hours. She then stood before a crowd
gathered in San Francisco and read her essay. The crowd was gathered to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 19th amendment, giving women the
right to vote.
Works Cited
Napikoski, Linda. "I Want a Wife: Legendary Feminist Satire.” About.com.
Education: Woman’s History. About.com, n.d. Web. 8 March 2013.
“Why I Want a Wife.” My Story. American Public Media, 5 Sept. 2007. Web. 8
March 2013.