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Illustration of Émile from Émile; or, On Education
This image is from Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 1762 book "Emile". In his book Rousseau argues that "women should take an active role in the family, by breast-feeding and educating their children, but they should not venture to take active positions outside the home", this is significant because as an Enlightenment thinker his ideas helped influence society and in this case perpetuated the subordination of women and their equal rights. Furthering the thought that women are inferior to men. -
"To Versailles, to Versailles. The Women's march October 5, 1789"
This print comes from Carl de Vinck, Un siècle d'histoire de France par l'estampe 1770-1870, BNF. It is significant to this timeline as it displays one of the greatest contributions women had towards sparking the revolution. They marched from Paris to Versailles demanding the King return with them and create reasonable bread prices. Though the intention of the march was not revolution its groundwork helped lay support for women in the revolution. -
Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen
In 1791 Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights Of Woman in this she wrote "Woman is born free and lives equal to man in her rights. Social distinctions can be based only on the common utility". This quote is significant because it was one of the biggest steps getting people to start thinking about women's rights. This quote was important because a woman was daring to put females on equal footing with men, and calling for equal rights and opportunities. -
Olympe de Gouges reading the Declaration of the rights of women to a Patriotic Women's Club
This print comes from Carl de Vinck, Un siècle d'histoire de France par l'estampe 1770-1870, BNF. This picture shows Olympe de Gouges reading her Declaration of the Rights of Women to a group. Olympe de Gouges was able to use her writing to influence women and convince them to believe that they deserved better rights and treatment. -
Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects
Mary Wollstonecraft's 1792 book "A Vindication of the Rights of Women" was a reaction to Burke's "Reflection on the Revolution". Moreover, it was the first book written that called for women's rights to be equal with men's. In this passage she argues that women have been 'rendered weak' as a result of lacking education and strong oppressions. This text is significant because it allowed for the issue of women's suffrage to slowly be brought to the forefront during the French revolution. -
The Enfranchisement of Women
In 1851 Harriet Taylor Mills published "The enfranchisement of Women". This essay calls for women's right to vote as equals as well as to have overall equal rights to men. One of her statements is "There is no inherent reason or necessity that all women should voluntarily choose to devote their lives to one animal function and its consequences". In this statement she argues that women have a right to be seen and heard and should not be shoved to the sidelines for the convenience of men. -
The Subjection of Women
In 1869, John Stuart Mill published "The Subjection of Women" in it he argued for women's right to be equals. This was significant because at this time in history women couldn't vote and married women were considered to be part of their husbands. Mills argued "there is no other situation in life in which it is… considered quite natural and suitable, that the better should obey the worse" Women were morally superior yet men control politics, Mills argued this was why women should be given rights. -
History of the Soviets - Alexandra Kollontai
This picture in Henri de Weindel's History of the Soviets was first published in 1922-23. The picture portrays Alexandra Kollontai the first woman in the Russian cabinet. She was the commissioner for social welfare and leader of the Women's Bureau. This image is significant because it shows the temporary gains women achieved during the Russian revolution. Her appointment led to a change in women's role until the appointment of Stalin, when many of the rights earned were stripped away. -
Simone de Beauvoir - The Second Sex
Simone de Beauvoir was a French existentialist philosopher but her book "The Second Sex" helped spark further conversation surrounding women's rights. Quotes like the one above helped encourage further movement for women's education and equality. -
The Feminine Mystique - Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan made a mark on women's rights by challenging the patriarchal design of what a woman's role should be. In her book "The Feminine Mystique" she challenges the idea that women should be satisfied with domestic duties and that preserving traditional gender roles is harmful to men and women. Her book sparked a new wave of feminism in the United States and across Europe. -
Women in the Spanish Revolution - Liz Willis
In 1975 Liz Willis wrote a paper on about the Spanish revolution of the 1930s. Her pamphlet shed light on the contributions of women during the revolutions, the rights they lost and gained, and its relevance to the ongoing fight for gender equality. Attached is a link to the pdf Link text.