Karolina Widerström
Encyclopedia
Karolina Olivia Widerström, (10 December 1856 in Helsingborg
- 4 March 1949), was a Swedish doctor and gynecologist. She was the first official female physician with a university education in her country. She was also a feminist and a politician, and engaged in the questions of sexual education and female suffrage. She was chairman of the Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage
and a member of the Stockholm city council.
Women were officially admitted to the universities in Sweden in 1870. In 1873-1875, Karolina Widerström was a student at Gymnastiska centralinstitutet, and in 1875-1877, she was the assistant to Professor Branting. She was also active as a medical gymnast. In 1879, she received her exam at Wallinska skolan and in 1880 her exam in medical philosophy at the university at Uppsala. In May 1884, she received her medical exam at Karolinska institutet
in Stockholm.
Widerström wanted women and girls to know more about their own bodies, to dress more healthily, and to receive the same rights and possibilities as men. She was especially active within gynecology and women's health. Her best-known work within her field was Kvinnohygien (Women's hygiene), which was first published in 1899, and reprinted in seven editions until 1932.
Karolina Widström was elected to the Stockholm city council in 1912 for the liberals, were she served until 1915. She was chairman of the Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage in 1918-1921, one year before the women suffrage was granted in Sweden, and became its last chairman when the organisation was dissolved in 1921, when both genders exercised the right to vote.
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
- 4 March 1949), was a Swedish doctor and gynecologist. She was the first official female physician with a university education in her country. She was also a feminist and a politician, and engaged in the questions of sexual education and female suffrage. She was chairman of the Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage
Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage
The Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage , or LKPR, was a part of the general Suffrage movement and the national society for woman suffrage in Sweden. It was developed from Sveriges allmänna rösträttsförbund , the Suffrage Movement of Sweden, which was active mainly in acquiring full suffrage for males...
and a member of the Stockholm city council.
Women were officially admitted to the universities in Sweden in 1870. In 1873-1875, Karolina Widerström was a student at Gymnastiska centralinstitutet, and in 1875-1877, she was the assistant to Professor Branting. She was also active as a medical gymnast. In 1879, she received her exam at Wallinska skolan and in 1880 her exam in medical philosophy at the university at Uppsala. In May 1884, she received her medical exam at Karolinska institutet
Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska institutet is a medical university in Solna within the Stockholm urban area, Sweden, and one of Europe's largest medical universities...
in Stockholm.
Widerström wanted women and girls to know more about their own bodies, to dress more healthily, and to receive the same rights and possibilities as men. She was especially active within gynecology and women's health. Her best-known work within her field was Kvinnohygien (Women's hygiene), which was first published in 1899, and reprinted in seven editions until 1932.
Karolina Widström was elected to the Stockholm city council in 1912 for the liberals, were she served until 1915. She was chairman of the Swedish Society for Woman Suffrage in 1918-1921, one year before the women suffrage was granted in Sweden, and became its last chairman when the organisation was dissolved in 1921, when both genders exercised the right to vote.