Paulina Luisi - Achievements and Involvements

Achievements and Involvements

Paulina Luisi was the first Latin American woman that participated in the League of Nations as a government representative. She acted as Delegate of the Uruguayan Government to the Commission for the Protection of children and youth and for the fight against women and children trade. She was also a member of the Technical Commission and she was responsible of the examination of the women trade question. Besides being actively involved in government, Luisi was also involved in the classroom. She worked as a teacher at the Teacher's Training College for Women and as an advocate reaching out for social hygiene related to the teaching profession. Her lectures and arguments were specifically designed to introduce prophylaxis as a subject within the teachers' training syllabus. A controversial aspect of Luisi’s moral reform platform was obligatory sex-health education programs in the public school system (Little 1975: 394). She suggested having these programs first introduced in the primary schools and then continuing on to the secondary level. She defined sex education as the pedagogic tool to teach the individual to subject sexual drives to the will of an instructed, conscientious, and responsible intellect (Luisi 1950: 82-83 in Little 1975: 394). Classes in sex education would emphasize the need for will power and self-discipline, regular moderate physical exercise to burn up sexual energy, and the desirability of avoiding sexually stimulating entertainments (Little 1975: 395). As opposed to sex education, health education classes would focus more on the scientific aspects of reproduction of the species, natural history, anatomy, personal hygiene, and the prevention of venereal diseases (Little 1975: 395). Due to these suggestions, Luisi was called an anarchist and a revolutionary. She was also accused of wanting to teach students how to become prostitutes. However, in 1944, her suggestions about sex-health education were finally incorporated into the Uruguayan public school system. Luisi is also known for writing several papers addressed to students, as well as, to the general public which were included in magazines, brochures, and even in Congresses' acts. Some of these articles were: Prophylaxis of contagious diseases; Hygiene in human growth; Eugenics; Open air schools; Improvement of hereditary qualities, Social diseases; White slave trade and Regulations - a social disgrace; Regulations on prostitution; Fight against venereal diseases; Uruguayan women; Women and mothers' rights- 1919 International Convention of Washington. Her articles even reached the American nations and many of them dealt with issues involving women liberation. Through her inspiring writing, Luisi was able to become the founder and primary editor of the magazine "Acción Femenina" (Feminine Action), which was primarily focused on topics revolving around women. She was fondly appreciative towards poetry and drama. Luisi is also known for being the chief figure in starting the Movement of women's liberation in Uruguay. First in a practical way, by developing new domains of activity for women, and later by organizing the first feminist associations in the country. She founded the Consejo Nacional de Mujeres (National Women Council), the Alianza de Mujeres para los Derechos Femeninos (Women alliance for women's rights), and the Uruguayan and Argentine branches of the International Abolitionist Federation. The two first feminine trade unions that ever existed in Uruguay - "Unión de Telefonistas" (Telephone Operators Union) and the "Costureras de sastrerías" (Seamstresses from Tailor's shops) were created by Luisi, and thanks to their action, many benefits were obtained for their members. As the secretary of the Abolitionist Committee of the River Plate, she made a significative contribution to reform the dispositions regulating prostitution in Buenos Aires. She not only organized but also chaired the University Women Association. In her later years, although retired from active life, she kept conscious of and attentive to social developments. At 65 years of age Paulina died in Montevideo. The Medicine School of Montevideo named one of the library pavilions of the Faculty after her.