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History of Feminism
Related: About this forumMary Wollstonecraft-a relevant quote
"Women are everywhere in this deplorable state; for, in order to preserve their innocence, as ignorance is courteously termed, truth is hidden from them, and they are made to assume an artificial character before their faculties have acquired any strength. Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and, roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison. Men have various employments and pursuits which engage their attention, and give a character to the opening mind; but women, confined to one, and having their thoughts constantly directed to the most insignificant part of themselves, seldom extend their views beyond the triumph of the hour. But were their understanding once emancipated from the slavery to which the pride and sensuality of man and their short-sighted desire, like that of dominion in tyrants, of present sway, has subjected them, we should probably read of their weaknesses with surprise."
-Mary Wollstonecraft, from Chapter III of A Vindication Of the Rights Of Woman.
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Mary Wollstonecraft-a relevant quote (Original Post)
YoungDemCA
May 2014
OP
intaglio
(8,170 posts)1. She was one smart person n/t
eallen
(2,975 posts)2. I love the sentiment, and love the language.
It's funny. Sometimes I'll point to some misquote attributed to Jefferson or Madison, and tell whoever is using it that it is fake. And when I'm asked, <i>"How do you know?"</i> I explain simply that those 18th c. gentlemen did not write in 20th c. English.
ismnotwasm
(42,482 posts)3. And true to this day
Wow
YoungDemCA
(5,714 posts)4. Self-kick
nt