Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797)

Wollstonecraft wrote this opposition to the education of women in 1792. She argues that true knowledge, virtue and reason exists when mankind is able to learn from experience, using their passion for questioning what exists around them. She admits to male superiority in matters of bodily strength, but says God created all and therefore evil as well as good. Thus man and woman must equally use reason, knowledge and virtue to overcome evil. However man has used his superior strength of body to justify a superior strength of mind and the position of woman to support his pleasure. She then elaborates on the current system that discourage all form of learning other than to enhance beauty and serve the male, thus making her a weak vessel and a mindless creature. Besides the result of making her frail she has no resources should she not marry or be be widowed but dependence on another male. She also says males have the capacity to maintain love for their mate for 6 to 18 months and after that the woman is neglected. She loses every way. This woman then turns to cunning to keep her male, turns to lovers, falls prey to spiritualists, reads novels, neglects her family or becomes a fashion plate; all detestable to Wollstonecraft. She feels an broad education involving exercise will make the wife a true friend and companion when love dies and make her able to be independent if the need arises. She also feels this education should be a public local school where boys and girls learn together from all social classes, dress code to be uniforms. An interesting but difficult read since some terms have broader or different meanings than their use today; sometimes confusing.… (more)

Not exactly light reading, this first 'feminist' writing in history. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) wrote this long essay in 1792 in a style and terminology that is not always easily accessible to us, and that is logical, due to the more than 2 centuries that separate her from us. The line of argument is at times very forceful, it often deviates from the proposed route, and it involves quite a bit of repetition.
But of course Wollstonecraft's fiery combativeness is very recognizable. There is particular indignation at the inferior fate of women in her time, at the derogatory attitude of men towards women, and at the wrong attitude of women themselves who cultivate their own weakness. The writing testifies to an independent, critical mind with a sharp pen.
Her plea is primarily one for an at least equal education of women, so that they can judge and act for themselves through the use of reason. Reason and education are typical themes of the Enlightenment, of which Wollstonecraft is definitely an epigone. The reason for this writing was the developments in the French Revolution, which was then just in its first phase and which aroused enormous expectations worldwide; Wollstonecraft was certainly among the supporters of the radical changes in France, but she was particularly disappointed by a proposed educational reform in which it was not considered necessary to include women; and that was the direct occasion for her essay.
It has been written several times: Wollstonecraft does not argue for the absolute equality of men and women. She repeatedly emphasizes the differences between the sexes and in some passages she even suggests that male dominance may be willed by God and therefore inevitable. Does that detract from her feminism? I don't think so, because the common thread in this essay is clearly the plea for equality (in virtue), although it also contains arguments for political, social and economic independence.
Two things that really struck me besides the feminist theme. The constant (and justified) attacks against Jean-Jacques Rousseau who believed that women should not receive a proper education at all (I still don't understand the pedagogues' infatuation with Rousseau). And especially the very fierce attacks against monarchy and despotism. This Vindication and other writings by Wollstonecraft are known as striking expressions of republicanism.… (more)

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was originally published in 1792. Nearly 180 years later when Source Book Press republished it, women were still clamoring for those rights. Title IX of the Education Amendments wasn't even a thing until 1972. Think about that for just one second. In 1792 Wollstonecraft was demanding justice for her half of the human race as loudly as she could. Hers was a plea for all womenkind and not a singular selfish act of only thinking of herself. She argued that reason, virtue, and knowledge were the keys to a successful life regardless of your sex. However, the notion that physical strength promotes power indicates a man's authority over a weaker woman exists even today. To put it crudely, inequality among the sexes is still a thing. To be sentimental is to be silly.
Wollstonecraft was not afraid to challenge her readers, asking us what does it mean to be respectable? To have virtue? To be a woman of quality? Are these traits euphemisms for weakness? She addresses the assumption that women are designed to feel before applying reason. Maybe that is why men are trained to never argue with a woman in public (she might become irrational) or allow a woman to exert physical strength (unseemly). Most of Wollstonecraft's arguments are disguised as philosophical and moral conversations with Rousseau.… (more)