18th century Quote by Lady Sophia Fermor
““The Men who cannot deny us to be rational creatures, wou'd have us justify their irrational opinion and treatment of us, by descending to a mean compliance with their irrational Expectations. But I hope, while Women have any spirit left, they will exert it all, in shewing how worthy they are of better usage, by not submitting tamely to such misplaced arrogance.””
About This Quote
Women should resist conforming to irrational expectations imposed by men, asserting their worth and demanding better treatment.
In simple terms: Reject irrational demands, assert worth.
Key Takeaway
Stand firm against unfair expectations.
Themes
gender equality
assertion
justice
Mood
determined
hopeful
Type
social
When to use this quote
- workplace
- relationships
- activism
Key Concepts
feminism
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you support women’s agency?
- What allies can amplify this?
A Different Perspective
Resistance may face backlash.
![“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)
![“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)
![“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)
![“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)
![“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)
