Rebecca Beausaert, a professor at the University of Guelph, delves into the recreational lives of women in small-town Ontario in her new book, Pursuing Play: Women’s Leisure in Small-Town Ontario, 1870-1914.
The book focuses on the towns of Dresden, Elora and Tillsonburg, highlighting how women shaped leisure opportunities at the turn of the century.
As Canadian athletes like Summer McIntosh gain recognition following the 2024 Olympics, Beausaert’s book offers historical insight into how women in the late 1800s and early 1900s broke barriers to participate in sports like croquet, ice skating, and bicycling.
The book also delves into more controversial topics, including law-breaking, cultural appropriation, and discussions surrounding women’s rights, such as suffrage, property laws, and labor legislation.
Pursuing Play was launched as part of the Rural History Roundtable series at the University of Guelph on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Dana Haggith caught up with Beausaert for an interview. Listen, below:
To order, visit: https://uofmpress.ca/books/pursuing-play
