18th century Quote by Lady Sophia Fermor
![“Let us treat Women as our equals, (says [the 'blubblering dotard' xD Cato]) and they will immediately want to become our mistresses." 'Tis Cato says it, and therefore there needs no proof. Besides, to oblige men to prove all they advance by reason, wou'd be imposing silence upon them; a grievance…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7bd/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_let-us-treat-women-as-our-equals-says-th_645168.jpg)
““Let us treat Women as our equals, (says [the 'blubblering dotard' xD Cato]) and they will immediately want to become our mistresses." 'Tis Cato says it, and therefore there needs no proof. Besides, to oblige men to prove all they advance by reason, wou'd be imposing silence upon them; a grievance to which they are perhaps full as unequal as they pretend we are. But granting Cato to be infallible in his assertions, what then? Have not Women as much right to be mistresses, as the Men have to be masters? No, says Cato. But why? Because they have not. Such convincing arguments must make us fond of hearing him farther. If we make the Women our equals, "they will demand that to-morrow as a tribute, which they receive to-day as a grace." But where is the grace in granting us a share in what we have an equal right to? Have not the Women an equal claim to power and dignity with the Men?””
About This Quote
The passage sat the paradox of demanding gender equality while simultaneously fearing the consequences of granting women equal status and power.
In simple terms: It questions why equal rights are resisted despite logical arguments.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge hidden biases that oppose equality.
Themes
gender equality
power dynamics
hypocrisy
rights
social critique
Mood
critical
reflective
provocative
Type
argumentative
philosophical
social commentary
When to use this quote
- political debate
- legal reform
- education curricula
- workplace policies
- media representation
Key Concepts
feminist theory
social contract
logic
paradox
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions underlie resistance to gender equality?
- How could shared power improve society?
A Different Perspective
The argument assumes equality leads to loss of privilege, ignoring mutual benefits of shared power.
![“I shou'd not myself have thought [Cato] worth so much notice as I have here taken of him; but that the Men are weak enough in general, to suffer their sense to be led away captive, by such half-thinking retailers of sentences. Among whom, This in particular, was he worth the pains, might be easily…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/592/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_i-shou-d-not-myself-have-thought-cato-wo_183319.jpg)
![“And the differences thence arising [between the constitution of men and women] are no ways sufficient to argue more natural strength in the one than in the other, to qualify them more for military labours. Are not the Women of different degrees of strength, like the Men? Are there not strong and…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2bf/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_and-the-differences-thence-arising-betwe_38711.jpg)
![“We must be at least as well qualified as [Men] to teach the sciences; and if we are not seen in university chairs, it cannot be attributed to our want of capacity to fill them, but to that violence with which the Men support their unjust intrusion into our places. (...) If then we set custom and…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/265/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_we-must-be-at-least-as-well-qualified-as_1025823.jpg)
![“Were we [Women] to express our conceptions of God, it wou'd never enter into the head of any one of us to describe him as a venerable old man.” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d4/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_were-we-women-to-express-our-conceptions_1805423.jpg)
![“why it shou'd create more surprise, to see [a lady] preside in a council of war, than in a council of state. Why may she not be as capable of heading an army as a parliament; or of commanding at sea as of reigning at land? What shou'd hinder her from holding the helm of a fleet with the same…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e01/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_why-it-shou-d-create-more-surprise-to-se_2016603.jpg)
![“By 18th century standards, they [Great Britain] were the freest, most dynamic, most willing to challenge tradition and authority. They had the highest wages and highest living standard, and probably the most engagement between the populace and the government of any country. Then the United States…” quote by Charles R. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca2/charles-r-morris-19787_18th-century_by-18th-century-standards-they-great-bri_49883.jpg)
