Church and state Quote by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
““Men never fail to dwell on maternity as a disqualification for the possession of many civil and political rights. Suggest the idea of women having a voice in making laws and administering the Government in the halls of legislation, in Congress, or the British Parliament, and men will declaim at once on the disabilities of maternity in a sneering contemptuous way, as if the office of motherhood was undignified and did not comport with the highest public offices in church and state. It is vain that we point them to Queen Victoria, who has carefully reared a large family, while considering and signing...””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Women's Rights Convention, 1866, New York
Women are denied political rights because of motherhood, yet motherhood is compatible with public service.
In simple terms: Maternity is used to block women's political participation.
Key Takeaway
Challenge the bias that motherhood disqualifies civic involvement.
Themes
gender equality
political rights
motherhood
social bias
Mood
determined
hopeful
Type
activist
historical
When to use this quote
- legislative advocacy
- public office campaigns
- education on women's history
- policy reform
Key Concepts
feminist theory
intersectionality
civil rights
Questions to Reflect On
- How does motherhood influence perceptions of leadership?
- What policies can counteract maternal bias?
A Different Perspective
Women’s political participation still faces cultural stereotypes despite legal advances.
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