The Relation between the Sexes

Rousseau 

• Equality for all men; inequality between men & women 
• Physically men and women differ so naturally women are suited to rearing children and domestic life, not public life and because they are weaker women are subjected to men 
• If women have reason it is practical, not theoretical
• Appearance/reputation matter for a woman; how a women is received, not only how she acts
• Men are only male in relation to their females whilst for women, their lives are determined by their biological functions
• Women's proper duties are to raise children as the home is the mini Fatherland, therefore private life still belongs to the man
• Women should be concerned with senses, dress and manners, but men understand things more deeply 
• He provides very little argument for his claims, he is plainly misogynistic
• Girls do not like to apply their minds, they are more close with their sense and creating things 
• Women know what they want and how to meet their ends and usually do this in a cunning way, therefore women are not honest 
• Women cannot go further than what society has placed them to do 
• Men have reason but women have to distain  
• Women should be guided by what people think about her because this is what matters more than what she of herself

Rousseau 

• Women are not free and should struggle against who they are 
• Women should be trained to be subjective to men and not to be independent 
• Women are defined in relation to a man and this is the law of nature
• However, men allow that women can have some power over men because if she resists what a man desires, she can make him do her bidding
• However, women are completely dependent on men for her feelings and the price of her virtues through the opinion men have on her
• Women are cast in a secondary role for education 
• He expresses the common view that women must be educated to please men and to make their lives easy through childrearing and tending to him when he needs 
• The sexes are different by nature, therefore different talents, characters and roles for women and justified and unalterable 

Wollstonecraft 

• It is habit, not nature which determines the differences between men and women 
• Girls are forced to be educated to please men and to want compliments, rather than educated to be equal to men

Wollstonecraft 

• If you educate women to love to learn flattery, they don't learn the value of understanding 
• Society creates ignorant women 
• Argues that women are more frivolous than men and they understand less, but this is due to society, not because of nature
• If reason brings virtue, it is illogical that women have not been taught these values because then they will never learn to improve their understanding and progress in society 
• Argues that Rousseau is inconsistent in his argument because Rousseau argues only sacred rights belong to men, so why are rights not equal for each sex?
• Women should not be concerned with a mans feelings, more about how we feel

Astell

• Women should not have degrading thoughts about their souls; they are not just there to please men, they are capable of more than that
• Argued that women are just as rational as men because knowledge is only founded on reason and women can be just as knowledgable as men, they are just not educated to the same level because of society 

Astell

• Prejudice stops women from even trying to learn 
• Argues that each human mind is created with 'generosity', so both men and women's minds are created the same
• In her proposal for higher education for women, she argues that women should be removed from society and bad influences so they can develop their mind freely 
• Compares marriage to slavery 
  • There needs to be more companionship between husband and wife 
  • Women need not marry; you have a choice as a woman and you can choose not to marry 
• Subjection has no basis in scripture and the subjection of a wife to her husband is inconsistent with political ideals of non-authority
  • It does speak of women as inferior to men, however, among men, there is no discussion of inferiority even if the Bible suggests it because they believe all men are equal 
  • We do not think the Romans were inferior to us because they did not have the same experience 
• Women are not inferior to men, they have an equal capacity for reason, however, education is the only thing needed to secure this   
• Subjection is inconsistent and there is no reason that can justify that subjection to the state is not necessary, so why should it be in a family>

Astell

• Only if a man murders a women then he is subject to the law, before that there is nothing a woman can do to increase her equality in society, so there is no point in them saying anything because nothing can be done to change her situation. Therefore, women are trapped in the perpetual cycle of slavery. 
• Women should seriously consider whether to run the risk of massage because men provide very little advantages for women when women give men everything 
• You give men your dowry so men are not giving you a good deal, it is a bad bargain and you should think twice before going for it 
• However, Astell had very conservative political views. She was a supporter of the monarch, against religious toleration and pro hierarchy 
• Although, her own position is not inconsistent because she argues it is inconsistent to endorse subjection in the domestic sphere when in the public sphere, it is abhorred 
• She doesn't challenge the husband's authority, but promotes more harmonious relations and for this women should be allowed education 
• Even so, women must think long and hard before they voluntarily choose subjection to male authority 
• Although we are all rational beings, we are not perfectly rational, therefore we need to have some order otherwise there will be chaos. But we shouldn't assume those with power are superior

Macaulay 

• Sexes are equal because there is only one common human nature 
• The notion of sexual difference in the human character are socially constructed ideas and the inequality of education and treatment of the sexed have supported this opinion 
• Human nature mirrors and directly emanates from Gods nature, therefore men and women have the same human nature
• Therefore, both gender stereotypes need reconsideration because the virtues of understanding and the virtues of the heart are found in both genders 
• Argues against the social inferiority of female nature because if there were different male/female natures, why would a perfect man be superior to be perfect women?
• Virtue and morals are the same for both sexes and thus with the same character there should be the same education
• Argues that both and men need to be re-education because there needs to be equal attention to rationality and sympathy 
• Argues in favor of coeducation because there should be one rule for both sexes 

Macaulay 

• Three reasons for coeducation 
  • One rule of right conduct - both sexes are just as rational and have equal virtues 
  • Happiness - true wisdom provides the same happiness for both sexes 
  • Salvation - perfection can only be found through education and wisdom 
• Women are just as much to blame for the inequality of the sexes as men 
• The difference between men and women does exist, but women do not want to admit it was not an accident 
• Women have learned to be vain and love being courted by men; they have learned that this is their role and not strived for more 
• In order to attract men, women pretend to be weaker than they are
• Thus, women socially construct gender stereotypes 
• To counteract this, they need to see good examples of equal genders through parents and teachers, it is not enough to tell them they are equal