A different kind of magazine: Ellas

Abstract

This article focuses on the women’s magazine Ellas, published in the mid-nineteenth century in Madrid, and discusses its relationship with other approximately contemporary magazines and newspapers in order to contribute to a reconstruction of the history of women’s publications in the Spanish press. The approach is based on an analysis of the text of each issue of the magazine and comparison with other publications, where applicable. Key features of the article include a reflection on the social rights of women, an attempt to analyse the main differences between women and men and defining features of sexual gender, the need for women’s education, etc. Studying the magazine’s content clearly reveals a continual tension between progressive and conservative ideas typical of the historical context in which gender studies emerged in Spain.