Marston movie

I just finished watching Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. Although I am not a fan of polyamorous relationships, I certainly am not against it. Quite the opposite: I am very much for it in all of its forms. It’s just not something I could be comfortable with myself.

However, if you have seen the movie I refer to above, you will understand why I am writing here.

William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton was an American psychologist, inventor of an early prototype of the lie detector, self-help author, and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman. Two women, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and partner Olive Byrne, both greatly influenced Wonder Woman's creation.

Olive was involved with William Marston and his wife in a polyamorous relationship. The three lived together for a number of years. Both women had Marston's children while the three were together, and Elizabeth named her daughter Olive after Byrne. Byrne and Elizabeth Marston continued their relationship while raising both of their children with William Marston after Marston's death. Both Olive and Elizabeth "embodied the feminism of the day." They told census takers that Olive was Elizabeth's widowed sister-in-law. Olive had two sons with Marston; Byrne and Donn.

Elizabeth (February 20, 1893 – March 27, 1993) was an American attorney and psychologist. She is credited, with her husband, for the development of the systolic blood-pressure test used to detect deception. She is also credited as the inspiration for her husband's comic book creation Wonder Woman, a character also fashioned on their live-in mistress, Olive Byrne.

William had children with both Elizabeth and his live-in mistress, Olive (Elizabeth eventually legally adopted Olive's children). While Olive stayed home to raise the children, Elizabeth supported the family when William was out of work, as well as after his death in 1947. Both Olive and Elizabeth "embodied the feminism of the day."

In the movie, the Marston family (adults and children) were “found out” by neighbours and were ostracized so much that the threesome had to separate. The movie featured some of the difficulties that separation created in the family’s estrangement. Eventually, according to the movie, they all got back together again.

William Moulton Marston died of cancer on May 2, 1947, in Rye, New York, seven days shy of his 54th birthday. After his death, Elizabeth and Olive continued to live together until Olive's death in 1985, aged 81; Elizabeth died in 1993, aged 100.

Society had no business hurting this family. The movie focused intensely on the interplay between the man and both of the women.

Society hurt that family.

As it hurts people like me.

I will post this at VoA, also.