Biographical entry Piddington, Marion Louisa (1869 - 1950)

Summary

Marion Louisa Piddington was significant in eugenic debate in Australia on a wide range of sexual and reproductive concerns, and in the growth of sex education and contraceptive information.

Details

Marion Louisa Piddington became interested in eugenics during a visit to Britain with her husband in 1912. Wrote "Via Nuova; or science and maternity" (1916) and "The Unmarried mother and Her Child" (1923). Influenced by the works of Marie Stopes and successfully campaigned with her husband for removal of a customs ban on Stopes' "Wise Parenthood" (1923). Taught sex education from 1923 (through the Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales, which she was involved in setting up, 1926-28 and through a rival association, the Institute of Family Relations, from 1931.) Wrote for "Smith's Weekly", "Herself", "Health and Physical Culture" late 1920s and early 1930s.

Published resources

Book Sections

• Curthoys, Ann, 'Piddington, Marion Louisa (1869-1950), Eugenist and Sex Educator', in Geoffrey Serle (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 11, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1988, pp. 226-227. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110231b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Piddington, Marion', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-477365. Details