With the Royal Mile littered with towering patriarchal statues including the likes of David Hume, John Knox, and Adam Smith, change is welcome with the construction of the Dr Elsie Inglis statue. Inglis was not only a suffragist but a surgeon, teacher, and founder of the Scottish women’s hospital. Her statue will not only encourage female empowerment but remind us how far women have come as well as how hard we had to work to get where we are today.
Inglis’s statue serves as inspiration for younger girls to look up to. One of the first women to graduate from the University of Edinburgh, Inglis showed that gender should never act as an impedement. She defied odds, ignoring government advice by setting up female staffed field hospitals close to the front during WWI. This action alone saved tens of thousands of lives, even working until her death, adamant she would help others until the bitter end.
Her statue is a welcome change, especially in the context of other statues on the Royal Mile. David Hume was so racist that the David Hume Tower was renamed 40 George Square. Such a decision raises questions as to why a statue of him is still standing on the most famous street in Edinburgh. However, statues like this are important to cultivate our understanding of history, allowing us to reflect upon our values and the reality of a previous time, and therefore should not be erased. Instead, like Henry Dundas in St Andrews square, a plaque next to Hume could be put-up, acknowledging his abhorent views.
Even Elsie Inglis’ statue has not avoided controversy. The Inglis statue will show her dressed in military uniform, with little to no acknowledgment of her services in maternity care. Much of Inglis’s family’s wealth was sourced from enslaved people.
Therefore, statues possess a twofold value, allowing us to recognise wrongdoings from the past, but also signify key figures and historical pioneers. They allow us to reflect on the past and give us examples of people who simultaneously inspire but were also mared by their own flaws. Elsie Inglis’s statue shows where hard work and determination can get you, even if the odds are not stacked in your favour.
Photo by Matilde Impavido
Related
Revisiting the Debate on Statues
With the Royal Mile littered with towering patriarchal statues including the likes of David Hume, John Knox, and Adam Smith, change is welcome with the construction of the Dr Elsie Inglis statue. Inglis was not only a suffragist but a surgeon, teacher, and founder of the Scottish women’s hospital. Her statue will not only encourage female empowerment but remind us how far women have come as well as how hard we had to work to get where we are today.
Inglis’s statue serves as inspiration for younger girls to look up to. One of the first women to graduate from the University of Edinburgh, Inglis showed that gender should never act as an impedement. She defied odds, ignoring government advice by setting up female staffed field hospitals close to the front during WWI. This action alone saved tens of thousands of lives, even working until her death, adamant she would help others until the bitter end.
Her statue is a welcome change, especially in the context of other statues on the Royal Mile. David Hume was so racist that the David Hume Tower was renamed 40 George Square. Such a decision raises questions as to why a statue of him is still standing on the most famous street in Edinburgh. However, statues like this are important to cultivate our understanding of history, allowing us to reflect upon our values and the reality of a previous time, and therefore should not be erased. Instead, like Henry Dundas in St Andrews square, a plaque next to Hume could be put-up, acknowledging his abhorent views.
Even Elsie Inglis’ statue has not avoided controversy. The Inglis statue will show her dressed in military uniform, with little to no acknowledgment of her services in maternity care. Much of Inglis’s family’s wealth was sourced from enslaved people.
Therefore, statues possess a twofold value, allowing us to recognise wrongdoings from the past, but also signify key figures and historical pioneers. They allow us to reflect on the past and give us examples of people who simultaneously inspire but were also mared by their own flaws. Elsie Inglis’s statue shows where hard work and determination can get you, even if the odds are not stacked in your favour.
Photo by Matilde Impavido
Share this:
Like this:
Related