The Bodyguard Unit - by Clément Xavier (Paperback)

About the Book

"In the early 20th century, English suffragist group the Women's Social and Political Union formed an all-women security unit. Trained by Edith Garrud, these "jujitsuffragettes" fought against abuse and arrest while pursuing long overdue rights"--

Book Synopsis

Who were the jujitsuffragettes?

In the early twentieth century, women in England demanded the right to vote--and faced violent retaliation. Rather than back down, the suffragist group Women's Social and Political Union formed its own security unit. Edith Garrud, a pioneering self-defense instructor, trained them to fight back against abuse and arrest while pursuing long-overdue rights.

This graphic retelling of Garrud's life reveals the resilience and (often physical) resistance of her era's voting-rights activists. Featuring an introduction from Elsa Dorlin (Self-Defense: A Philosophy of Violence), The Bodyguard Unit explores an explosive stage of the fight for suffrage.

Review Quotes

"Captures a well-documented but lesser-known piece of history with acumen, and subtly telegraphs the still relevant experience of employing radical means in an unjust system. . . a unique and involving lens through which to consider an essential moment in modern history." --School Library Journal

-- (11/21/2023 12:00:00 AM)

"The cartooning, beautifully rendered in muted, old-timey hues, presents information about jujitsu, the inner workings and tensions of the WSPU, and everyday indignities faced by the subjects . . . While enduring themes such as resisting oppression and asserting autonomy abound, the book remains centered on its specific time, place, and people." --The Horn Book Magazine

-- (8/2/2023 12:00:00 AM)

"[A]n empowering work both in content and visuals, about the figure who taught women how to take back their power." --Publishers Weekly

-- (6/30/2023 12:00:00 AM)

"This engaging and informative graphic biography, which includes historical back matter, about an overlooked yet influential suffragist and martial artist deserves a spot in every graphic-novel collection." --starred, Booklist

-- (7/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

"Engaging feminist history attractively presented." --Kirkus Reviews

-- (5/17/2023 12:00:00 AM)