Pamela, a woman in late-1800s England, wishes to be her own person and has no intention to ever marry. After she has a great deal of difficulty finding a job, she finally lands a position at a womans magazine that covers topics like sewing and cooking. When the editor takes sick, Pamela moves the magazine into discussing issues like gender equality, child labor, medical care, and job searches. She is then surprised to find herself the leader of a movement. After an unexpected event, she is also faced with raising a child without a father, something people of that time thought was scandalous.