White Feather Campaign

"White Feather Movement" redirects here. For other uses, see White feather (disambiguation).

The White Feather Campaign was a prominent enlistment campaign and shaming ritual in Britain during the First World War, in which women gave white feathers to non-enlisting men, symbolising cowardice and shaming them into signing up.

Although the campaign was unpopular among the public, often causing mental suffering and suicides among men, it was seen as a success by the government, with figures such as Christabel Pankhurst receiving praise as well as monetary grants.

The campaign, noted for the participation of many suffragettes and early feminists in its leadership, is also interpreted as one of the reasons behind the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which first granted franchise to land-owning women.

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