Wollstonecraft and Gender Equality

Wollstonecraft and Gender Equality

What did Wollstonecraft see as the key to obtaining the independence of women? How is that connected to their ability to choose their life plans? What would second and third wave feminists argue remain as obstacles to gender equality after equal education is achieved? Do you think that the thinkers we read this week would believe that gender equality has been accomplished?

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1. What did Wollstonecraft see as the key to obtaining the independence of women?,

2. How is that connected to their ability to choose their life plans?,

3. What would second-wave feminists argue remain as obstacles to gender equality after education?,

4. What would third-wave feminists identify as remaining issues?,

5. Would the thinkers we read this week believe gender equality has been achieved?

Wollstonecraft and Gender EqualityGeneral Comprehensive Response:

Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the earliest advocates of women’s rights, believed that education was the fundamental key to women’s independence. In her groundbreaking work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), she argued that without a proper education, women could not reason, develop virtues, or become truly independent citizens. Wollstonecraft viewed education not only as a tool for intellectual growth but as a pathway to full participation in society—politically, morally, and personally.

This emphasis on education directly connects to women’s ability to choose their own life paths. Without knowledge, critical thinking, and self-reliance, women would remain dependent on men—economically, emotionally, and socially. By receiving the same education as men, Wollstonecraft argued, women could make informed choices about careers, relationships, and their contributions to public life. In essence, education enables autonomy.

However, second-wave feminists—active during the 1960s and 70s—recognized that equal education alone was not enough. They highlighted institutional barriers such as workplace discrimination, wage gaps, lack of childcare, and the unpaid labor of housework as enduring obstacles. Simone de Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, and others noted that even educated women were often relegated to domestic roles or faced professional glass ceilings.

Third-wave feminists, emerging in the 1990s and beyond, expanded the conversation to include issues of intersectionality, focusing on how race, class, sexuality, and gender identity intersect to create unique challenges for different groups of women. They would argue that systemic racism, transphobia, and cultural norms still perpetuate inequality—even when formal education is accessible.

Given the ideas of Wollstonecraft and later feminist thinkers, it is unlikely that any of them would consider gender equality to be fully accomplished today. While major strides have been made in education and legal rights, persistent gaps in political representation, economic parity, and social expectations remain. The thinkers studied this week would likely argue that gender equality is still an ongoing project—one that requires continued attention to both structural barriers and cultural attitudes.

Wollstonecraft and Gender Equality