A pioneering sex educator and advocate for women's rights, known for promoting safe sex practices and providing contraception to soldiers during World War I.
Ettie Rout is renowned for her trailblazing work among servicemen in Paris and the Somme during World War I, earning her a heroic reputation among the French. However, her pioneering efforts in promoting safe sex kits and inspecting brothels led to her being shunned in her native New Zealand, where her name was practically taboo.
Born on February 24, 1877, in Launceston, Tasmania, Ettie Rout was raised in Wellington, New Zealand, from the age of seven. After completing her education, she worked as a shorthand typist for commissions of inquiry and the Supreme Court, an experience that would later shape her social conscience. Rout's early career as a reporter, businesswoman, and writer laid the groundwork for her future advocacy work.
During World War I, Rout founded the New Zealand Volunteer Sisterhood, a nursing group that brought her face-to-face with the alarming prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among servicemen. Her solution was to create safe sex kits, which contained condoms, disinfectant, and instructional leaflets. By 1917, the New Zealand Army made the distribution of these kits compulsory. Rout's work inspecting brothels in Paris and the Somme earned her a decoration from the French government.
Ironically, her exploits were censored in New Zealand, where her name was deemed too controversial for publication. However, her activities could be reported, highlighting the hypocrisy surrounding her work.
In 1922, Rout published her book, Safe Marriage: A Return to Sanity, which was banned in New Zealand but became a bestseller in Australia and Britain. The book's frank discussion of STIs and sexuality sparked outrage, with a British bishop labeling her the "wickedest woman in Britain." Despite the backlash, the British Medical Journal recommended the book for medical professionals, acknowledging its importance in addressing a taboo subject.
Rout married Frederick Hornibrook in 1920, but the couple had no children and eventually separated. She spent her later years in the Cook Islands, where she passed away on September 17, 1936, and was buried.
Ettie Rout's pioneering work in promoting safe sex and addressing STIs paved the way for future generations of sexual health advocates. Her bravery in the face of societal disapproval and her commitment to improving the lives of servicemen have cemented her place as a war hero and a champion of social change.
72 Years Old
A Scottish Labour Party politician who served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West of Scotland region and was a strong advocate for social justice and women's rights.
