ABSTRACT
Historically, map creation and use are associated with masculinity, the ‘science of princes’, tied to the survey and control of territory, resources and space. All peoples map but the gendering of cartography as masculine obscures other mapping practices, such as those by women in their social activism. This chapter will consider the gendering of cartography before considering an example of Progressive Era women’s mapping. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) created pictorial maps to be sold as part of a late 1920s campaign to raise scholarship funds. Pictorial maps—artistic spatial depictions combining map, images and texts—appeal to a wide audience with their bold designs and bright colours. While not viewed as ‘scientific’, these maps represent the application of their educations and skills in art, history and design to create highly appealing maps, while advancing the cause of women’s education access.
