Agda Östlund

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Agda Östlund
Agda Ostlund rostratt.JPG
Agda Östlund
MP for the Social democrats
In office
1921–1940
Personal details
Born3 April 1870
Died1942
Political party Social Democrats

Agda Maria Östlund, née Lundgren (3 April 1870 26 June 1942) was a Swedish Politician of the Social Democrats. She was one of the first four women to be elected to the Swedish parliament after the introduction of women suffrage.

Contents

Life

Agda Östlund was born in a working-class home in Köping. Her family was politically aware and encouraged her to be so as well. Her mother made sure that her brothers took as much part in the household chores as Agda. She trained and supported herself as a seamstress from the age of fourteen. She eventually founded her own sewing studio with several employees. She married the steel worker Anders Östlund, with whom she had a daughter, and moved to Stockholm in 1896.

Early political career

Östlund became active in the Social Democratic labour movement early on. She was a member of the Stockholms allmänna kvinnoklubb ('Stockholm Women's Public Club') from 1903, served as chairman in 1904–05; member of the Socialdemokratiska kvinnokongressen (Social Democratic Women's Congress) in 1908–1920; board member of the Social Democratic Women in Sweden in 1920–1936, and a board member of the Poor Help Board of the Matteus Parish in Stockholm in 1916–1932. [1]

In 1902, the Social Democratic Women, through the Stockholms allmänna kvinnoklubb, decided the cooperate with the Swedish Suffrage movement. Östlund was active in the struggle for women suffrage, and made many nationwide journeys to speak in its favour.

Parliamentary career

In 1921, Agda Östlund became one of the five first women to be elected to the Swedish Parliament after women suffrage alongside Nelly Thüring (Social Democrat), Bertha Wellin (Conservative) and Elisabeth Tamm (liberal) in the Lower chamber, and Kerstin Hesselgren in the Upper chamber. Östlund remained in the Parliament until 1940.

In parliament, Agda Östlund became the first woman MP to speak in the Swedish Second Chamber. She opened her speech by saying: “Äntligen stod kvinnan i talarstolen” ['Finally, the woman stood in the speaker’s chair'], rewording a phrase from the Gösta Berling's Saga: “Äntligen stod prästen i predikstolen” ['Finally the preacher stood in the preacher’s chair'].

She was also the first of her gender to be appointed member of the Parliament's Legislative Committee as a representative of her party. Östlund engaged in the question of spousal abuse, women's pension and medical care for women and children. She also raised the question of abortion, during which several MPs left the room in protest.

Agda Östlund was regarded as a representative and role model for many working-class women. Asked where she was given the courage to involve in politics, she answered: "When you truly want something, you are given courage". [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kata Dalström</span> Swedish socialist and writer (1858–1923)

Anna Maria Katarina "Kata" Dalström, née Carlberg, was a Swedish socialist and writer. She belonged to the leading socialist agitators and leftist writers in contemporary Sweden, and has been referred to as "the mother of the Swedish socialist working class movement".

The Social Democratic Women in Sweden, or simply "S-women", is the women's wing of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1921 Swedish general election</span> Election

Early general elections were held in Sweden between 10 and 26 September 1921. In the first elections held under universal suffrage, the Swedish Social Democratic Party remained the largest party, winning 93 of the 230 seats in the Second Chamber of the Riksdag. Party leader Hjalmar Branting formed his second government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert Tingsten</span> Swedish political scientist, writer and publisher (1896–1973)

Herbert Lars Gustaf Tingsten was a Swedish political scientist, writer and newspaper publisher. An influential figure in Swedish political science, he was a professor of political science at Stockholm University from 1935 to 1946, and executive editor of the newspaper Dagens Nyheter from 1946 to 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaj Björk</span> Swedish politician and diplomat

Kaj Åke Björk was a Swedish social democratic politician and a diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bertha Wellin</span> Swedish politician (Conservative) and nurse

Bertha Wellin, was a Swedish politician (Conservative) and nurse. She was one of the first five women to be elected into the Swedish parliament.

The National Association for Women's Suffrage was a part of the general suffrage movement and the national society for women's suffrage in Sweden. It functioned as a parallel to the Sveriges allmänna rösträttsförbund which was active mainly in acquiring full suffrage for males. The LKPR was a part of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. It was active locally from 1902 as the Föreningen för kvinnans politiska rösträtt, and nationwide as the Landsföreningen för kvinnans politiska rösträtt from 1903 until 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hulda Flood</span> Swedish politician (1886–1968)

Hulda Flood was a Swedish politician, feminist and trade unionist.

Alina Josefina Rosalie Jägerstedt was a Swedish social democrat and trade unionist. She was the only female member at the congress of 1889, where the Swedish Social Democratic Party was founded. She participated as the representative for the Skandinaviska Tobaksarbetarförbundet. Thanks to the motion she presented at the congress, both sexes were included in the Swedish Social Democratic Party from the start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson</span> Swedish politician

Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson was a Swedish politician and shoemaker. He was Minister for Finance during three separate periods, and Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1920.

Events from the year 1921 in Sweden

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emilie Rathou</span> Swedish journalist, newspaper editor and elected official

Emilie Rathou, née Gustafsson was a Swedish journalist, newspaper editor and elected official. She was a temperance and women's rights activist. On International Workers' Day in Stockholm 1891, she was the first woman in Sweden to demand the right for women suffrage in a public speech. She was the founder of the Swedish branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Johansson-Visborg</span> Swedish trade union leader, womens rights activist and politician

Anna Johansson-Visborg was a Swedish trade union leader, women's rights activist and politician with the Swedish Social Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1899 in Sweden</span> Sweden-related events during the year of 1899

Events from the year 1899 in Sweden

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elma Danielsson</span> Swedish journalist and politician

Elma Danielsson née Sundquist, was a Swedish journalist and politician. She was a temporary editor of the social democratic paper Arbetet from 1887 onward, and has been referred to as the first woman in the social democratic press.

Stockholms Allmänna Kvinnoklubb was founded in Stockholm 11 June 1892, and became a part of the Swedish Social Democratic Party the same year. It is referred to as the foundation of the women's organisation within the social democratic worker's movement in Sweden. It was the first social democratic women's club to be officially a part of the party, and the first of many local clubs of the same kind. The club organized the social democratic women within the Swedish working class movement by establishing local women's clubs and enlisting working women in the trade unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Horney</span> Swedish politician (1857–1953)

Amanda Horney (1857–1953), was a Swedish politician. She belonged to the pioneers of the labour movement, the Social Democratic movement, as well as the women's rights movement in Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabet Eurén</span> Swedish educator

Elisabet Eurén was a Swedish educator, women's rights and peace activist.

Maria Osberg (1864–1940) was a Swedish politician and trade unionist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Ekberg</span> Swedish politician (1874–1936)

Alfrida Christina Ekberg (1874–1936) was a Swedish politician.

References

  1. Anne-Marie Lindgren & Marika Lindgren Åsbrink: Systrar kamrater! Arbetarrörelsens kvinnliga pionjärer . Stockholm 2007
  2. Flood, Hulda (1954). Agda Östlund: pionjär i genombrottstid. Skrifter / utgivna av Arbetarnas kulturhistoriska sällskap, 99-0560030-2 ; N.F., 16. Stockholm: Kooperativa förbundets bokförlag. Libris 1179637

Further reading