Incorrigible

by Velma Demerson

On a May morning in 1939, eighteen-year-old Velma Demerson and her lover were having breakfast when two police officers arrived to take her away. Her crime was loving a Chinese man, a "crime" that was compounded by her pregnancy and subsequent mixed-race child. Sentenced to a home for wayward girls, Demerson was then transferred (along with forty-six other girls) to Torontos Mercer Reformatory for Females. The girls were locked in their cells for twelve hours a day and required to work in the on-site laundry and factory. They also endured suspect medical examinations. When Demerson was finally released after ten months' incarceration weeks of solitary confinement, abusive medical treatments, and the state's apprehension of her child, her marriage to her lover resulted in the loss of her citizenship status.

This is the story of how Demerson, and so many other girls, were treated as criminals or mentally defective individuals, even though their worst crime might have been only their choice of lover. Incorrigible is a survivor's narrative. In a period that saw the rise of psychiatry, legislation against interracial marriage, and a populist movement that believed in eradicating disease and sin by improving the purity of Anglo-Saxon stock, Velma Demerson, like many young women, found herself confronted by powerful social forces. This is a history of some of those who fell through the cracks of the criminal code, told in a powerful first-person voice.

Genres: History, Canada, Nonfiction, Biography, Feminism

172 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Velma Demerson (1920-2019) was imprisoned in 1939 in Ontario and basically because her "family" was against her being in a romantic relationship with Chinese immigrant Henry Yip. And majorly disgustingly (but at that time also entirely legally), all it took was for Velma Demerson's father to call the police and to declare his adult daughter as being supposedly incorrigible for her, for almost 20 year old Velma to fall into the clutches of Ontario's notorious but now thankfully repealed Female Refuges Act and to not only be arrested but to also be incarcerated at the Mercer Reformatory for Women (where Velma Demerson and fellow inmates were often abused and also used for medical experimentations), and not to mention and to add insult to injury, although Velma Demerson was born in Canada and of Canadian parents, her relationship and failed marriage (post Velma Demerson’s release from Mercer) to Henry Yip also caused her to be stripped of her citizenship (and it indeed took decades for Velma to get it back, with her in fact remaining stateless until 2004).

Now the story of what happened to Velma Demerson (and of course to many women ensnared by the Female Refuges Act) is in my not so humble opinion absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking, and totally unacceptable. And really, the information one can find on Wikipedia and on similar online news sites, these horrifying details of abuse and forced medical experiments should truly already be more than enough for ANYONE to feel massive anger, unless of course, one has the same mentality and attitude towards women and women’s rights as the Taliban does. But even more saddening and infuriating has been reading Velma Demerson’s 2004 IncorrigibleIncorrigible, there have certainly been many instances where I have wanted to stop, and also multiple times where I wanted to go back in time, to rescue Velma Demerson and severely and lastingly punish that unmitigated eugenicist and Nazi Edna Guest (who was the main doctor at the Mercer Reformatory for Women and primarily responsible for those meducal experiments). And finally, while not even ONE page of Incorrigible has been in any manner pleasurable to read (and actually rather the opposite, as to top everything off, Velma Demerson’s Incorrigible also clearly shows that even today, many family members are still making all kinds of excuses for Velma’s father and that they also seem to feel that Velma somehow deserved to be arrested and jailed for her relationship with Henry Yip).

But in my opinion, no matter how terrible, Velma Demerson’s memoirs are, Incorrigible is an important and also an essential document and account about an extremely dark and misogynistic chapter in Canadian history and one that should be read and discussed by ALL Canadians from the age of twelve or so onwards.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

We published this book in 2004 and all of us at the press were deeply affected by this woman's story. In 1939 in Toronto, Velma Demerson was thrown in jail (pregnant)for being in a relationship with a Chinese man. It was her father who called the police. She endured terrible medical experiments while in prison. She was arrested under the Female Refuges Act and charged with being Incorrigible. She was never convicted of a crime. She endured 10 months in prison. Years later she sued the Ontario government for compensation and won her case. She's a brave woman who stood her ground until she was granted some justice. In 2005 The Globe and Mail included it in their top 100 reviewed books of the year: “The book, which made our reviewer weep, is a searing indictment of a time and attitude we would do well not to forget.” — The Globe 100, Globe and Mail

[Raphael · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the depression, girls were being sent into reformatories for vaguely labeled charges that included incorrigibility, truancy, theft, running away and sexual immorality. Concerns were primarily centered on female sexuality. Demerson account of her relationship with a Chinese man deepens the understanding of the social boundaries that prevented such interracial mingling. For a white woman to be "enslaved"・to a Chinese man was unthinkable. The fact that there were laws preventing women to be employed by Chinese men stresses the severity of society position on white women associating with Chinese men. Thus it came to no surprise that Demerson interracial relationship would be considered an act of immorality and considered an offence by Canadian law at the time.

Demerson's personal account of her life successfully explored her particular socio-economic roots and conflict with society. Whether it was her family background, her relationship with a Chinese man or the terms of her incarceration, these were all pivotal factors in identifying the social constructs that existed at the time. Demerson experience could be considered more an emotional than an informative one; nevertheless, her account deepens the understanding of a time when Canadian society operated under a very different set of social boundaries than what exists today. A fascinating read for anyone interested in understanding the divisive racial and gender issues in Canada at the time.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read about this story from an article online, and was astonished to read what had happened to Velma due to her love for a man of Oriental decent. At first, I was happy to read that Velma had found love, and was glad that it was a mutual feeling between the two of them. I was especially glad that Velma had such a caring partner, considering how distant and cold-hearted both her mother and father seemed to be. When Velma was arrested and placed into jail, I was disheartened, and felt angry at the justice system for placing such importance on something so innocent. As Velma began discussing the medical procedures that she received, I was appalled that these such treatments were allowed, especially since Velma was pregnant at the time. Throughout the book, I continued to read in disgust as Velma detailed all of the difficulties that she endured because of the love she felt for her husband. I couldn't believe that a place such as Canada would profile an individual due to the love she felt for another. I was saddened to hear how life ended-up for her son, who wasn't given a proper start in life due to his constant illnesses as an infant. Overall, a well-written and powerful account on how certain groups of individuals were perceived during a very pivotal time in Canadian history.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me sad, angry, depressed and outraged. Velma's story is heartbreaking and she tells it very well. The patronizing, racist, sexist, and overall dehumanizing system that these young women were up against was impossible. Velma's very personal account of having survived it, having endured the worst of it, is incredible.

There are so many things wrong with the obstacles that she faced, that it would be easy to go off on any number of rants. Instead I will just say that these events are not so firmly buried in the past that we can try to forget about them. Variations of these sorts of situations pop up in the news on a frighteningly regular basis. As long as we profit from dehumanizing others or think of ourselves as being superior to others, we are all vulnerable. Racism and sexism are still commonplace, and we only need to look at the prison systems and government policies toward "enemy combatants" or even those without citizenship to see how quickly we can be stripped of all rights and subject to the worst human abuses.

[Avery E. Kats · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt a lot of emotions throughout this book, but the writing aspect that stands out to me most is the firm, exhausted voice of Velma Dermerson. I heard her exhaustion at growing up in an unstable place, her love for Harry when he became a sense of stability. I heard the fear she felt when sent to the Merced and the stark descriptions of the experiments on her made my stomach turn.
This is a profoundly depressing story, but sadly not an uncommon one. It’s interesting to think how many white women may have found refuge in the presences of Chinese men during a time when interracial relationships were frowned upon and challenged by law.
I feel sorrow for her- however, no amount of money, no amount of apologies, no amount of sympathy can make up for a turbulent life like Velma lived.
I would certainly recommend this book for anyone looking to learn and truly feel the emotions of history.

[mica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the biography of a Canadian woman, from the early 20th century. I would never have read this book except that Ms Demerson did a talk for a friend's lecture at university some years ago, and she happened to invite me. It should be noted that the topic matter could be disturbing to some.

Demerson's biography reveals a disturbing and very nearly forgotten law in Ontario in the early 20th century, whereby young women could be deemed "incorrigible" by their families and imprisoned - in Demerson's case, because she had a relationship with a Chinese man, and was pregnant with their child. While incarcerated, she was forcibly given painful and experimental treatments for an infection she likely never had.

This is an incredible book, and well worth the read, despite how disturbing and uncomfortable the subject matter.

[Alexander Knapik-Levert · Rating 5 out of 5]

eugenics in canada - the modern version would be relatively the same

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book and witness the ramifications of classism, sexism and racism. I feel for Velma Demerson and all the women treated as she was.

[Mike Barat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amagine being a white woman in the 30s who is married to a Chinese man. That's the story of Velma Demerson who married Chinese man in 1939. Those of you think that Canada was a enlighten country in past will learn quickly that simply was not the case. Shortly after Velma's Demerson was married her own father contacted the police and had her arrested under something called the female Refuge act which was a Provincial law in the province of Ontario from 1913-1964. The act was nothing more than an excuse to throw women in jail. And it was Velma Demerson own father that contacted the police to have her arrested. At one point in book Velma Demerson mentions that she takes her breaks at work alone at a restaurant she was working at, at the time, because she's afraid she might lose her job if she accidentally let it slip that she was married to a Chinese man. That was not an illegal thing to do at the time. This book is a very accurate portrayal Canada's past and should be read by all Canadians.

[Becki D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a difficult read but only for the human suffering and tragedy that it contains inside. It's an important part of Canada's dark history that should be spoken about and remembered. I'm so grateful that Velma Demerson had the strength to share her story with the world. I highly recommend this book.

[Alexis]

Re-read for research.