Traditional Gender Roles Of Women In The 18th Century

The idea that there is a hierarchy of genders based on the men and women’s natural differences, was very popular during the enlightenment. Women’s difference in body parts and personality traits were seen as negative and placed them below men in this way. They were kept behind the limelight, and in private salons. The women who decided that their education and intelligence overpowered the fact that they were women, still were oppressed. They also tried to participate in ‘under the radar’ debating societies. No matter how much they wanted to improve their lives through education and self-empowerment, men during this time always wanted to find a way to downgrade the women. Because the idea of women as objects was an idea as old as time, and that’s all men really knew about, it was hard for women to escape these traditional gender roles.
Feminism has now developed in such a way that women can use their experience and knowledge to join in on unions and political networks.
Unlike in the 18th century, when women were accustomed to hiding their sometimes brash opinions and thoughts, women can for the most part be respected enough to say and think what they feel. History has taught us that the way to respect isn’t through a quick fix, but instead a long and complex set of revolutions and evolution. The women of the 18th century were an important stepping stone in allowing women to evolve to how they are
today.