Beatrice Brigden

Beatrice Alice Brigden (1888-1977) was Canadian social reformer, first-wave feminist, writer, and politician in the early 20th century. She advocated for birth control, gender equality, and economic security at a time when such views were considered radical.

Brigden was a founder of the People's Forum Speaker's Bureau, the Labor Women's Social and Economic Conference, and Indian-Métis Friendship Centres, a Quaker.

A year later, she began studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 1914, Brigden and the church came to an agreement and Brigden began training in La Crosse, Wisconsin as a Methodist social service worker, bolstered by self-directed study on sexual behavior and the psychology of sex.

Brigden spent six years lecturing on sex education and social ills throughout Canada. Increasingly, Brigden found herself turning away from the church and more toward socialism. Her work and studies led her to the conclusion that it was necessary to address economic issues to bring about real change, foreshadowing a later move into politics. Brigden resigned as a Methodist social worker after six years and joined the Brandon Labor Church where she served from 1920 to 1928. which included speakers such as John Queen, Anna Louise Strong, Frank Underhill, J. S. Woodsworth and others.

Cooperative Commonwealth Federation In 1922, Brigden established the Labor Women's Social and Economic Conference (LWSEC) annual study groups in 1922 In 1934, she was on the party's national council.

In 1936, Brigden ran as ILP-CCF Candidate in the Manitoba general election. She did not win a seat in the election but later ran in both federal and provincial elections. CCF became the New Democratic Party in 1961 and she remained active in the party until 1975.

Later life and advocacy

First Inter-American Congress of Women In 1947, Brigden attended the Primer Congreso Interamericano de Mujeres held in Guatemala City, Guatemala as the delegate for the Winnipeg International League for Peace and Freedom, one of only 3 Canadian delegates. The conference was called by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom to discuss women's issues, pacifism and promote inter-American policies for dealing with armament, human rights, economic security, and many other topics.

Indian-Métis Friendship Centres Between 1954 and 1958, Brigden served on the Indian and Métis Committee. She was recognized as an advocate for women's rights and an ally and advocate for aboriginal people and pressed for the opening of the Indian-Métis Friendship Centres to address the needs of urban aboriginal people.

In 1958, after four years of planning, a resolution was passed to open a referral centre to help first nations persons relocating to urban areas access the social services available. The first center opened in 1959. She continued to be active on the Board and in attendance at Conferences for the Indian and Métis Committee until 1969. She was an organizer of Provincial Council of Women, a member and delegate to international meetings for the University Women's Club, Chairman of the Arts and Letters Committee of the National Council of Women, a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, an organizer of the SHARE and Open-Door Club for Canadian Mental Health Association, founder of the Indian-Métis Friendship Centres, and an organizer of Women's Model Parliaments.

Publications Bridgen wrote an autobiography entitled One Woman's Campaign for Social Purity and Social Reform, which was reproduced in 2014 in Forestell and Moynagh's Documenting First Wave Feminisms. Volume II, Canada - National and Transnational Contexts.