Unbecoming a Lady: The Forgotten Sluts and Shrews Who Shaped AmericaSlut. Shrew. Sinful. Scold. The 19th and early 20th century American women profiled in this collection were called all these names and worse when they were alive. And thats just fine. These glorious dames earned those monikers, and one hundred years later they can wear them proudly! They refused to conform to societal standards. They bucked everyday niceties and blazed their own trails. They were collectively unbecoming as women, but they forever