Women's Rights: Dr. John Todd And Gail Hamilton

Since the beginning of the 17th-century and earlier, there has always been different perspectives on women's rights. Men and women all over the world have voiced their opinion and position in regard to the rights of women. This holds especially true during the 18th and 19th century in the United States. As women campaigned for equality, there were some who opposed this idea. Anti-women's rights activists such as Dr. John Todd and Pro-women's rights activist Gail Hamilton argued intelligently and tactfully on the topic. There were many key arguments made against women's’s rights by Dr. John Todd, and Gail Hamilton's rebuttals were always graceful, intellectual, and equal in caliber to her male counterpart. Let's examine some of Dr. Todd's arguments
Todd believed that women could not compete with men in long courses of mental labor. He reinforced his assumption by stating that women had not become Newtons, La Places, or Bowditches in mathematics or astronomy. The previously mentioned men had been dedicated to mentally exhausting work their entire lives. Dr. Todd briefly ridiculed women. He quotes women as saying, “We have never had a fair chance-a fair fight in the field. We have been held down by prejudice, and tyranny and public opinion against us, and all that.” He deconstructed that statement with half logic. He proclaimed that women did have a fair shot and it was the piano. Dr Todd believed women had hours to toil away unbothered practicing the piano. Dr Todd said, “The men have invented, manufactured, bought and brought the piano home, yet there aren't any music teachers, master performers, or musicians that are women.” He also suggested that men came along and learned how to play the piano without any formal training, yet they excelled past women who had years of training. Thirdly, Dr. Todd believed women had a particular place and it was called a “Woman’s Sphere.” This sphere was the most important role of the woman. In this sphere, women were most responsible for nurturing mankind in early years. He thought that women had a mission to be a mother first and foremost and help shape our future. Dr. Todd states that if a woman steps out of her sphere, then she must be treated like a man. He says women
He suggested that women should not vote because women did not earn property. Dr. Todd said,“The property of the world for the most part, is, and ever has been and must be, earned by the man for the most part. It is useful only to support and educate families or those of others. It would seem best, the, for those who, at any hazard or labor, earn their property, to select the rulers, have this responsibility.” He believed those that earned the property, which were usually men, should elect the rulers. He did accept that women had a certain “Right.” The right to be exempted from things which men must endure. Many women during this time believed that they should receive equal pay to men. However, Mr. Todd argued that God put the labor and duty on men to support the families, so it’s very unjust for women to receive the same pay. In his closing arguments Mr. Todd argued that many people of their day wanted women to be independent,but he again, believed God never designed women to be