Ellen Peck
Encyclopedia
Ellen Peck was an American feminist
, writer
, and childfree
activist
.
, Peck attended University High School there and graduated in 1960. She was a high achiever and a standout within her peers, acting as a leader in political, acting and debate arenas. Before becoming famous, and for many years thereafter, Ms. Peck served as an eighth-grade English teacher at Pimlico Junior High School in Baltimore, Maryland where she was known for wearing skirts so short they would not have been allowed on students. She became famous in 1969 for writing How to Get a Teen-Age Boy, and What to Do With Him When You Get Him, a sort of Sex and the Single Girl
for teens. At the time the book was taken seriously, but later Ms. Peck claimed it was written as "humor" and it is usually missing from subsequent lists of her books. The book was quite popular, selling more than 50,000 copies in hard-cover, and during the 1970s she wrote an advice column for teen-agers, called "The Column," which appeared in The Baltimore Sun
and was nationally syndicated. She subsequently wrote another book promoting precocious sexuality
, Sex and Birth Control: a Guide for the Young (1973), with James Lieberman, M.D.
she wrote The Baby Trap, one of the first books about the emerging childfree
movement. In 1972, Peck and Shirley Radl founded the National Organization for Non-Parents (N.O.N.)
, an advocacy organization for men and women who choose not to have children. She later wrote several more books on parenthood and was, for a time, a rather prominent childfree advocate, even appearing on The Tonight Show
where she exchanged views with Joe Namath
.
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and childfree
Childfree
Childfree also known as "voluntary childlessness" is a form of childlessness. The term was coined in the English language late in the 20th century and is used to describe people who have made a personal decision not to have children. The term childfree also describes domestic and urban...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
.
Early life and career as a "Teen Expert"
Born Ellen Remsburg to C. M. and Genevieve Remsburg of Normal, IllinoisNormal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, Peck attended University High School there and graduated in 1960. She was a high achiever and a standout within her peers, acting as a leader in political, acting and debate arenas. Before becoming famous, and for many years thereafter, Ms. Peck served as an eighth-grade English teacher at Pimlico Junior High School in Baltimore, Maryland where she was known for wearing skirts so short they would not have been allowed on students. She became famous in 1969 for writing How to Get a Teen-Age Boy, and What to Do With Him When You Get Him, a sort of Sex and the Single Girl
Sex and the Single Girl
Sex and the Single Girl was written in 1962 by Helen Gurley Brown, as an advice book that encouraged women to become financially independent and experience sexual relationships before or without marriage...
for teens. At the time the book was taken seriously, but later Ms. Peck claimed it was written as "humor" and it is usually missing from subsequent lists of her books. The book was quite popular, selling more than 50,000 copies in hard-cover, and during the 1970s she wrote an advice column for teen-agers, called "The Column," which appeared in The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
and was nationally syndicated. She subsequently wrote another book promoting precocious sexuality
Adolescent sexuality in the United States
Adolescent sexuality in the United States relates to the sexuality of American adolescents and its place in American society, both in terms of their feelings, behaviors and development and in terms of the response of the government, educators and interested groups.For teenagers, sex is considered...
, Sex and Birth Control: a Guide for the Young (1973), with James Lieberman, M.D.
Later career as a childfree advocate
In 1971, along with William GranzigWilliam Granzig
William Granzig, Ph.D., MPH, FAACS is an American sexologist.He is the President and Professor and Dean of Clinical Sexology at Maimonides University in North Miami Beach, Florida. He is the Director and primary professor of the university's sexology program. Dr...
she wrote The Baby Trap, one of the first books about the emerging childfree
Childfree
Childfree also known as "voluntary childlessness" is a form of childlessness. The term was coined in the English language late in the 20th century and is used to describe people who have made a personal decision not to have children. The term childfree also describes domestic and urban...
movement. In 1972, Peck and Shirley Radl founded the National Organization for Non-Parents (N.O.N.)
National Alliance for Optional Parenthood
The National Organization for Non-Parents was begun in Palo Alto, CA by Ellen Peck and Shirley Radl in 1972. N.O.N was formed to advance the notion that people could choose not to have children--to be childfree...
, an advocacy organization for men and women who choose not to have children. She later wrote several more books on parenthood and was, for a time, a rather prominent childfree advocate, even appearing on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
where she exchanged views with Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
.
Personal life
Ms. Peck was married in 1965 to William Peck, head of an advertising agency in Baltimore. She never had children and eventually divorced. She died of cancer on March 15, 1995 in New York.Books
- How to Get a Teen-Age Boy, and What to Do With Him When You Get Him, (ISBN 978-0870350122)(1969).
- The Baby Trap, (ISBN 978-0523009032)(1971), with William GranzigWilliam GranzigWilliam Granzig, Ph.D., MPH, FAACS is an American sexologist.He is the President and Professor and Dean of Clinical Sexology at Maimonides University in North Miami Beach, Florida. He is the Director and primary professor of the university's sexology program. Dr...
- Sex and Birth Control: a Guide for the Young (1973), with James Lieberman, M.D.
- Pronatalism: The Myth of Mom and Apple Pie (ISBN 0-690-00498-2)(1974), an anthology of anti-natalistAntinatalismAntinatalism is a philosophical position that assigns a negative value to birth, standing in opposition to natalism. It has been advanced by figures such as Arthur Schopenhauer, Peter Wessel Zapffe, Heinrich Heine, Emil Cioran, Philipp Mainländer, Philip Larkin, Chris Korda, Matti Häyry, Thomas...
writings co-edited by Judith Senderowitz - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Equality (ISBN 0-13-345512-2)(1975), with William Granzig
- The Joy of the Only Child (ISBN 0-440-04262-3)(1977)
- The Parent Test: How to Measure and Develop Your Talent for Parenthood (ISBN 0399120300)(1978), with William Granzig.