“The historical roots of feminism can be traced back to the late 18th century”.

Statements like this give me great pause.

The fact that this highly questionable outlook is systematically taught in encyclopedias and school books is even more troubling.

Assertions such as “The historical roots of feminism can be traced back to the late 18th century” blatantly ignore the long history of advocacy for gender equality in non-Western societies and women’s resistance to patriarchy.

By focusing solely on the late 18th century in Europe, it implies that feminism originated in the West and then spread to the rest of the world.

This highly problematic view erases the rich history of feminist thought and activism in other parts of the globe.

Throughout history, women in various cultures have challenged male domination and fought for greater rights and freedoms.

In ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut and Neferkare were powerful female pharaohs who defied gender norms.

In China, Ban Zhao, a renowned historian and philosopher, advocated for women’s education and moral cultivation in the 1st century CE.

In the Islamic world, Nana Asma’u, a 19th century Nigerian scholar and poet, promoted female literacy and leadership.

In India, Savitribai Phule, a pioneer of modern Indian feminism, fought against caste oppression and gender discrimination in the 1800s.

While it is a generally accepted historical truth that the Enlightenment period in Europe did witness the emergence of influential feminist thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft, who argued for women’s rationality and education, this was far from the first time women had made such demands.

In the 17th century, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a Mexican nun and scholar, wrote extensively on the rights of women to pursue knowledge and self-expression.

In the 15th century, Christine de Pizan, a French author, challenged misogynistic attitudes and called for women’s education and participation in public life.

By focusing solely on the late 18th century in Europe as the starting point for feminism, the statement overlooks the long history of women’s resistance and advocacy for gender equality in other parts of the world.

It implies that the West was the sole source of feminist thought and that non-Western societies were passive recipients of these ideas. This view perpetuates the myth of Western exceptionalism and fails to recognize the agency and contributions of women in other cultural contexts.

Moreover, the statement’s focus on the Enlightenment period in Europe is problematic because the Enlightenment itself was a Eurocentric project that often excluded or marginalized women and non-Western peoples. Many Enlightenment thinkers, while advocating for universal rights, held deeply misogynistic and racist views.

For example, Immanuel Kant, the famous Enlightenment philosopher, argued for the inferiority of women and non-Europeans. Voltaire wasn’t better. Preceding them, Aristotle shared similar views.

In conclusion, the statement “The historical roots of feminism can be traced back to the late 18th century” seeks validity in the dehumanization of women in non-Western societies who according to this supremacist worldview are considered inferior and not counted as part of human history. This ingrained, entrenched, and (in AD/CE 2024) still systematically promoted worldview gives me great pause because it goes against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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Historical women in various cultures throughout world history who have resisted patriarchy and advocated for gender equity. Examples:

Hatshepsut and Neferkare: Powerful female pharaohs in ancient Egypt.

Ban Zhao: A renowned Chinese historian and philosopher who advocated for women’s education and moral cultivation.

Nana Asma’u: A 19th-century Nigerian scholar and poet who promoted female literacy and leadership.

Savitribai Phule: A pioneer of modern Indian feminism who fought against caste oppression and gender discrimination.

Christine de Pizan: A 15th-century French author who challenged misogynistic attitudes and called for women’s education and participation in public life.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: A 17th-century Mexican nun and scholar who wrote extensively on the rights of women to pursue knowledge and self-expression.

Definitions:

The term “15th century” is predominantly used in English-speaking contexts, particularly in Western Europe and North America, to denote the period from 1401 to 1500. However, this nomenclature does not have a universal application across all languages or cultures.

For instance, “15th century” (“1500-talet”) in Swedish refers to the years 1500 to 1599.

CE and AD are terms used to denote years in the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the birth of Jesus Christ.AD stands for “Anno Domini,” a Latin phrase meaning “in the year of our Lord.” It refers to the years following Christ’s birth, with AD 1 being the first year.

CE stands for “Common Era,” which is a secular term that corresponds to AD. For example, the year 2024 CE is equivalent to AD 2024. Both systems count years from the same starting point, but CE is often preferred in academic and interfaith contexts for its neutrality, avoiding direct religious priming to Jesus as the origin of history and to Christianity as the monopoly framework.