To mark Harriet (Taylor) Mill's posthumous 215th birthday, I've created a new group dedicated to her life and works within my Mill Circle. It's a free, public group you can join in addition to the J.S. Mill Philosophy Circle group, both available on my Mill Circle website and app.
Harriet was a philosopher in her own right yet we still read tedious, sexist depictions of her as an unimportant sideshow living in the shadow of J.S. Mill. She was, in fact, already up and running, creating her own work before she met and worked with J.S. Mill. She had published her solo works and went on to produce further solo works (unpublished) in her lifetime too.
Harriet was a great influence on J.S. Mill. He wouldn't have become such a radical, thoroughgoing feminist without her and I very much doubt he would have been as prolific a writer as he was without her input of ideas, suggestions, comments, criticism and more. It was Harriet who made John an exciting, passionate, liberal, feminist philosopher and politician who cared deeply about personal freedom for both men and women.
So let's celebrate her birthday by correcting misinformation in history that reduces and erases her equal status with J.S. Mill. Let's celebrate her by acknowledging her as equal co-author of works published under his sole name as well as appreciating her solo contribution to Philosophy, Feminism and Poetry.
I've posted one of her poems in the Harriet group. Just something to think about and mull over during the weekend.
