“A and B”

Abstract

Chapter 10 focuses on Breckinridge’s relationship with Edith Abbott. Breckinridge and Abbott’s long-term relationship was a remarkable partnership, advancing both women’s careers and activism as well as providing them with emotional sustenance and practical support. Acknowledging the shifting definitions of female sexuality that make it difficult to categorize this same-sex relationship as lesbianism, this chapter explores the dynamics and the significance of this lengthy relationship from the women’s first meeting in 1903 to Breckinridge’s death in 1948, demonstrating that Breckinridge and Abbott’s personal relationship fostered their professional success and their political effectiveness.