Erin Crosby blog post #7

This week’s discussion about White Slave Trade Hysteria made me think about how fear influenced society during a time of major change. During this period, women were fighting for more rights, including the right to vote, while challenging traditional expectations of their roles. The Mann Act of 1910 was passed to combat the transportation of women for prostitution, but it also reflected growing fears surrounding white slavery. I found it interesting that these concerns were happening alongside progressive movements for women’s independence. This also made me think about confirmation bias and how people may have focused on stories that supported their existing fears about changing roles rather than questioning the information they were hearing. Overall, this topic showed me how society can make progress in some areas while still holding onto traditional beliefs in others.


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