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Feminist persuasive speech topics

108 feminist persuasive speech topics

- the top current women's rights & feminist issues.

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 07-20-2022

There are 108 persuasive speech topics here covering many current feminist issues. For example:

that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap,
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports body image insecurities to serve its own ends,
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society...

They're provocative and challenging topics raising issues that I like to think should be of concern to us all!

Use the quick links to find a topic you want to explore

25 feminist persuasive speech topics about beauty and fashion
16 the media and feminism topics
8 the role of language and feminism speech ideas

8 feminist speech ideas about culture and arts

9 topics on education and gendered expectations, 27 feminist topics about society & social inequality, 8 business & work related feminist speech topics.

Resources for preparing persuasive speeches
References for feminism

What is 'feminism'?

Feminism is defined as belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.

(See: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism )

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25 feminist speech topics about beauty & fashion

that from puberty onward a woman is targeted by cosmetic companies
that the shape of woman’s body is valued over its health
that physical beauty in a woman is conferred by popular beliefs
that striving for what is regarded as the epitome of female physical perfection destroys women
that physical perfection is a myth
that compassion and collaboration is needed between women (and men) rather than competition and comparison
that beauty, fashion and feminism can co-exist
that clothing reflects social position or class
that the fashionable clothing of any era reflects its dominate cultural beliefs
that a modern feminist does not need to ban either the bra or the razor
that prescriptive beauty norms (PBNs) reinforce sexism, racism, colorism, classism, ableism, ageism, and gender norms
that western feminine beauty standards dominate globally
that there is no legitimate historical or biological justification for the ‘white’ beauty myth
that modern beauty standards were used as “political weapons" against women’s advancement (see Naomi Wolfe - The Beauty Myth )
that the beauty industry cynically and callously exploits women through “self-empowerment” campaigns – eg L'Oreal's “Because you're worth it”
that beauty shaming of any sort is shameful
that health and beauty need to work together for the empowerment of women
that beauty and fashion role models need to be independent of major brands
that fashion and cosmetic industries have a moral responsibility to use the immense power they have in shaping people’s lives for their betterment
that the unfair balance of power between the consumers of fashionable clothing and those who make it is a feminist issue
that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap
that genuinely sustainable fashion is only responsible way forward
that clothing/fashion can make a feminist statement. For example: the 1850s “freedom” or “bloomer” dress named after women’s rights and temperance advocate Amelia Bloomer , the wearing of trousers, shorts, or mini skirts by women, or skirts and dresses by men
that boss dressing for women is unnecessary and toxic
that establishing superiority through wearing elitist fashion is an age old ploy

16 the media and feminism speech topics

that feminism in mainstream media is often misrepresented through lack of understanding
that some media deliberately encourages a narrow polarizing definition of feminism to whip up interest and drama for its own sake
that mainstream media plays a significant role in keeping women marginalized
that social media has created an independent level playing field for feminists globally
that the #metoo movement reaffirmed the need for community and solidarity amongst feminists
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports ongoing body image insecurities to serve its own ends
that the advertising industry decides and deifies what physical perfection looks like
that the ideal cover girl body/face is a myth
that eating disorders and negative body image problems are increased by the unrealistic beauty standards set by mainstream media
that women get media coverage for doing newsworthy things and being beautiful. Men get media coverage for doing newsworthy things.
that social media gives traditionally private issues a platform for discussion and change: abortion, domestic abuse, pay equity
that print media (broadsheets, magazines, newspapers...) have played and continue to play a vital role in feminist education
that ‘the women’s hour’ and similar radio programs or podcasts have been and are an important part in highlighting feminist issues
that ‘feminist wokeness’ has been hijacked by popular media
that social media reinforces prejudices rather than challenges them because the smart use of analytics means we mainly see posts aligned with our viewpoints
that social media has enabled and ‘normalized’ the spread of pornography: the use of bodies as a commodity to be traded

8 the role language and feminism speech ideas

that frequently repeated platitudes (eg. girls will be girls and boys will be boys) are stereotypical straitjackets stifling change
that the derogatory words for females and female genitalia frequently used to vent anger or frustration demonstrate the worth and value placed on women
that feminism is neither male nor female
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society
that sexist language needs to be called out and changed
that gendered language limits women’s opportunities
that gendered languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi...) need to become more inclusive
that the real enemy of feminism is language
that limitations in any arena (work, sports, arts) placed on woman because they are women need challenging
that male bias in the organizations awarding major awards and grants needs to change
that the ideal woman in art is a figment of a male imagination
that historically art has objectified women
that heroic figures should be celebrated and honored for their deeds – not for what they look like or their gender
that strong feisty female characters in literature can inspire change eg. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name, and Offred from Margaret Atwood’s The Hand Maiden’s Tale.
that the role of feminist art in any field: literature, film, theatre, dance, sculpture..., is to transform and challenge stereotypes. Examples of feminist artists: Judy Chicago, Miriam Shapiro, Barbara Kruger (More: feminist art )
that feminist musicians have used their influence as agents of change, and to inspire: Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Pussy Riot, Lorde, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Nina Simone
that there no subjects more suitable for boys than girls, or subjects more suitable for girls than boys
that toys, clothing, and colors should be gender neutral
that student achievement and behavioral expectations should be gender free
that feminism should be actively modelled in the classroom
that eligibility for educational institutions should be merit based
that boys should not ‘punished’ or blamed for our patriarchal history
that gendered performance is actively supported and encouraged by some educational philosophies and schools in order to maintain the status quo
that the belief that ‘male’ and ‘female’ intelligence are different and that male intelligence is superior is false
that education is vital for the advancement of black feminism
that rigidly adhered to gendered workplace and domestic roles sustain and support inequalities
that domestic violence is typically a male gendered crime
that patriarchal attitudes toward women make sexual harassment and rape inevitable
that a safe legal abortion is a fundamental right for every person who wants one
that humiliation and control either by fear and threat of rape, or rape itself, is an act toxic entitlement
that a person is never ever ‘asking for it’: to be sexually harassed, or to be raped
that safe methods of birth control should be freely available to whomever wants them
that full sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people is an essential precondition to achieving gender equality
that men should not have control over woman's sexual and reproductive decision-making
that the increase in sperm donation is a feminist victory
that a person can be a domestic goddess and a feminist
that there is a positive difference between assertive and aggressive feminism
that the shock tactics of feminist anarchists is justified
that powerful feminist role models open the way for others to follow
that intersectional feminism is essential to fully understand the deep ingrained inequalities of those experiencing overlapping forms of oppression
that a feminist’s belief and practices are shaped by the country they live in, its dominant religious and cultural practices
that female circumcision is an example of women’s oppression disguised as a cultural tradition
that honor crimes are never justifiable
that period poverty and stigma is a global feminist issue
that we need to accept that some women want to remain protected by patriarchal practices and beliefs
that environmental issues are feminist issues
that everybody benefits from feminism
that feminism works towards equality, not female superiority
that anti-feminist myths (that feminists are angry women who blame men for their problems, that feminists are anti marriage, that feminists have no sense of humor, that feminists are not ‘natural’ mothers, that feminists are anti religion, that feminists are actually all lesbians ...) are desperate attempts to maintain the patriarchal status quo
that toxic femininity is a by-product of fear and insecurity eg. The need to ridicule another woman in order to impress a man, shaming a man for not being ‘manly’, raging against a women for being seen to be powerful, competent and successful in a leadership position ...
that blaming the patriarchy is far too simple
that one can hold religious beliefs and be feminist
that gendered jobs and job titles belong in the past
that pay scales should be based on merit, not gender
that adequate maternity and child care plus parental leave provisions should be mandatory
that flexible working hours benefits both the business and its employees
that token feminism is not enough
that corporate feminism is for wealthy white women
that feminism and capitalism are in conflict
that women in power owe it to other women to work for their empowerment

Useful resources

The first three resources below provide an excellent starting point to get a broad overview of feminism: its history, development and current issues.

I've included the fourth link because I'm a New Zealander, and proud of what its women's suffrage movement achieved: the vote for women in 1893.

What’s the definition of feminism? 12 TED talks that explain it to you
An overview of feminist philosophy – Stanford University, USA
Britannica: an excellent over of the history and development of feminism
The symbolism of a white camellia and the Suffrage Movement in New Zealand

How to choose a good persuasive speech topic and preparing a great speech

For a more in-depth discussion about choosing a good persuasive topic, and crafting a persuasive speech please see:

persuasive speech ideas and read all the notes under the heading “What make a speech topic good?"
writing a persuasive speech . You’ll find notes covering:
setting a speech goal,
audience analysis,
evidence and empathy (the need for proof or evidence to back what you’re saying as well as showing you understand, or empathize with, the positions of those for and against your proposal),
balance and obstacles (to address points against your proposal, the obstacles, in a fair and balanced way),
varying structural patterns (ways to organize you material) and more. And click this link for hundreds more persuasive speech topic suggestions . ☺

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Writing A Women’s Day Speech: 7 Tips and Examples

Every year on March 8th, the world recognizes International Women’s Day. It’s a day for celebrating the economic, social, cultural, and political accomplishments of women and for celebrating Women’s Rights . In 1911, over a million people from Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland celebrated the first International Women’s Day . Today, in addition to celebrating women’s achievements, IWD is an opportunity to call for gender equality and justice. Speeches are held at events around the world. How do you write a good speech for International Women’s Day? Here are seven tips and examples:

Tip #1: Know your audience

Before writing a speech, you want to know who your audience is and what they care about. Without this information, you may write something that doesn’t resonate. It may not be bad, but it may miss the mark. As an example, if you don’t know recent college graduates make up most of your audience, you may write a speech that fails to take into account their youth, their goals (like starting a career), their knowledge and experience of history, and so on. Your audience’s age is just one piece of information about them. In a 2019 article on Ideas.Ted.com , Briar Goldberg describes how audiences can be broken into three types: expert, novice, and mixed. If you’re speaking to an expert audience, you’ll rely on more complex arguments and terminology than if you were speaking to a novice audience. With mixed audiences, appealing to emotions is often the best choice.

At the 2020 International Finance Corporation’s celebration event for International Women’s Day, the CEO Philippe Le Houérou spoke to his audience’s interests by focusing on economics, numbers, and ways IFC is addressing gender inequality, saying :

“At IFC, we have developed a comprehensive approach to reducing gender inequality. We create partnerships to encourage the hiring of women and improve their working conditions. We help expand access to financial services for women. We invest in innovative technologies that expand choices for female consumers and employment. And we work with partners to provide business skills and leadership training to women entrepreneurs.”

Tip #2: Write a strong opening

A strong opening engages the listener and gives them a general roadmap of your speech. Depending on your speech’s context and audience, you can experiment with opening styles. If you’re speaking to a general audience, an anecdote is a great way to capture your listener’s attention and get them emotionally invested. If your audience consists of experts or academics, it might be best to keep your introduction as brief as possible (many speeches begin with thank yous), so you can spend more time on the speech’s main points.

Consider then-UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri’s 2013 speech to the mostly-expert audience of the Open Society Foundation. Her topic was on the importance of girls’ education. After thanking the audience, she opened with strong, clear language to emphasize the speech’s main message:

“Your Excellencies, fellow panelists, ladies and gentlemen. I am honoured to be participating in this very important side event on the right to education in the post-2015 agenda. I sincerely thank the International Council for Adult Education, the Global Campaign for Education and all of the convening organizations for inviting me to speak today. UN Women considers that education is one of the greatest game-changers for women and girls around the world. It is both an enabler and force multiplier for women’s economic, political and social empowerment and gender equality.”

Tip #3: Include statistics to support your claims

When you’re writing a speech about issues like gender equality in education, healthcare, or the workplace, you want to give the audience specific information about the issue. Without key statistics , the audience won’t know how serious an issue is or what progress is being made. It isn’t enough to say that “many” girls don’t receive equal education compared to boys or that things are “improving.” What are the actual numbers? Sharing statistics also shows you did your research, which gives your words credibility.

You can also include data to show what specific organizations are doing and how they’re impacting gender equality. That’s what Michelle Obama did in her 2016 speech at the Let Girls Learn event that celebrated Women’s Day. She sprinkled facts through her speech on how Let Girls Learn was making a difference. Here’s an example:

“Folks of all ages and all walks of life are stepping up, as well. More than 1,600 people in nearly all 50 states have donated money to Let Girls Learn Peace Corps projects. Our #62MillionGirls hashtag was the number-one hashtag in the U.S., with people across the country talking about the power of education. And we’ll be launching the next phase of this social media campaign next week at South by Southwest.”

Tip #4: Strike the right tone

How do you want to present yourself? What kinds of emotions do you want to stir in your audience? These types of questions help you identify the appropriate tone for your speech. This is another reason why knowing your audience matters. When you’re speaking to a group of seasoned experts in a formal setting, your tone will likely sound more analytical and logical. If you were speaking in a more casual environment to a group unfamiliar with your subject, you’ll probably want to adopt a more personal, conversational style. If you want to provoke emotions in your listeners and get them to care, stories are very effective. If your goal is to inform and educate, it’s wise to rely on facts and stats.

Tracee Ellis Ross’ 2018 TED Talk on women’s anger is a great example of a speech with a tone that fits the speech’s context. She’s speaking to a mixed-gender audience in a non-academic setting. Because the topic she’s covering is personal, she uses a conversational, almost intimate style that switches between the first and second person. She addresses both the women and men in the audience, but keeps the women centered. Here’s an example toward the end of the speech:

“Our culture is shifting, and it’s time. So my fellow women and our gentle men, as we are here together within this particular window of this large-scale movement towards women’s equality, and as we envision a future that does not yet exist, we both have different invitations.”

Tip #5: Pay attention to structure

At their most basic, speeches consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Each section serves an important purpose. The introduction establishes your credibility, the speech’s tone, and its goals. The body, which is the main part of the speech, fills in the points you want to cover using statistics, stories, or other forms of evidence. The conclusion wraps everything up and emphasizes what you want your audience to remember. Unlike something that’s written, your audience can’t look back to find their way if they get lost, so as you move through the three sections, you want things to be as clear and simple as possible.

In 2021, Srishti Baksh gave a TedTalk relating her 2,300-mile walk journey across India where she held driving workshops to empower women’s ability to move across the country. She uses a simple structure that opens with the story of the first time she went to a movie alone with her friends at age 14. She was assaulted in the theater. She then zooms out, describing how there are 600 million women in India, but women rarely go outside because they’re not safe. In the body of her speech, she zooms back in to talk about her walking journey, the women she met, the empowering and terrifying things she witnessed, and how she joined forces with another woman to create a movement that trains female drivers. She concludes with a clear message:

“By rethinking mobility for women, giving them a safe transport and safety outside of home, it is our hope to transform our culture. Apart from having a profound impact on the Indian economy, this is about something much bigger. As you all know, when we move, we can be seen. The more women see other women in public spaces, the more safe, independent and empowered each one of us will be. So. If we can learn how to walk, certainly we can learn how to fly.”

Tip #6: Use repetition to your advantage

How do you make sure your audience gets the point of your speech? How do you make your speech – which might be one of many speeches the audience sits through – memorable? Repetition. You want to repeat your main point throughout your speech. It’s a good idea to include it at least three times: in the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. There are other types of repetition that make your speech memorable, too. Repetition can include keywords, phrases, and even the sounds of words. Repetition looks different depending on what kind of speech you’re giving. If you’re giving an emotion-driven speech, frequent repetition of the same words/phrases adds to the emotional punch. For informational or educational speeches where powerful emotions aren’t necessarily appropriate, use different words/phrases to repeat the main point.

For an example of good repetition in a speech, let’s look at Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s 2016 Keynote at Women of the World . From a word search, it’s clear what the speech is about. Together, the words “intersectionality” and “intersectional” appear 42 times. Repetition is found within sentences and paragraphs, too:

“There are multiple forms of intersectionality . I could talk about a lot of them, but the kind of intersectionality that I most want to talk about is the intersectionality around politics – political intersectionality .”

“So the question we have to ask is, what can we each do about it? We’ve been saying the first thing you can do about it is say her name. Do not allow her death to happen in silence. Do not allow their children, their loved ones to grieve for them in silence. Do not allow , do not affirm the belief that their lives are insignificant.”

Tip #7: Ask rhetorical questions

Do you want to increase audience engagement? Ask rhetorical questions. When you ask a question, your audience is forced to think more deeply about your words. They’re more likely to listen more closely, as well, since the information that follows a question will provide more context. You can use rhetorical questions in a few ways. You can anticipate a question your audience might have, set up an important point, or even encourage an emotional response. Even though audience members won’t shout out an answer (unless you encourage them to do so), asking questions makes your speech feel more interactive and engaging.

Let’s look at a 2003 speech by Maxine Waters at the National Youth Summit. While it isn’t directly about women’s rights, it serves as a great example of how to use questions in a speech. Right from the beginning, it’s clear this speech is going to be interactive. She says good morning to the audience and then prompts them to answer her. Through the speech, Waters asks many questions (some rhetorical, some direct), all of which make the speech engaging even through a transcript:

“Who makes up this jury? [Waters is discussing a trial involving a White cop and a Black teenager that ended in a hung jury and mistrial] A lot of people were very, very concerned because there was only one black person on the jury. The city of Inglewood is majority minority, and majority African-American. How could this have happened? How could you get a jury with only one black, in a case where the defendants are African-American, in a city where it is majority minority and mostly black? How could this happen?”

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

Read Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ‘Women’s Rights’ Speech From 1995

“Now it is time to act on behalf of women everywhere.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered the following address to the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing, 25 years ago. Then the first lady of the United States, Clinton famously declared that “women’s rights are human rights,” while criticizing the Chinese government’s coercive family-planning policy and the hardships faced by women around the world. You can read her reflections about this speech upon its 25th anniversary here .

Below, the full text of Clinton’s speech as delivered.

Thank you very much, Gertrude Mongella, for your dedicated work that has brought us to this point. Distinguished delegates and guests, I would like to thank the secretary-general for inviting me to be part of this important United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. This is truly a celebration—a celebration of the contributions women make in every aspect of life: in the home, on the job, in the community, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, learners, workers, citizens, and leaders.

It is also a coming together, much the way women come together every day in every country.

We come together in fields and factories. In village markets and supermarkets. In living rooms and boardrooms. Whether it is while playing with our children in the park or washing clothes in a river or taking a break at the office watercooler, we come together and talk about our aspirations and concerns. And time and again, our talk turns to our children and our families.

However different we may appear, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share a common future. And we are here to find common ground so that we may help bring new dignity and respect to women and girls all over the world—and in so doing, bring new strength and stability to families as well.

By gathering in Beijing, we are focusing world attention on issues that matter most in our lives, the lives of women and their families: access to education, health care, jobs, and credit, the chance to enjoy basic legal and human rights and participate fully in the political life of our countries.

There are some who question the reason for this conference. Let them listen to the voices of women in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces.

Hillary Clinton: How far have women come?

There are some who wonder whether the lives of women and girls matter to economic and political progress around the globe. Let them look at the women gathered here and at Huairou, the homemakers and nurses, the teachers and lawyers, the policy makers and women who run their own businesses.

It is conferences like this that compel governments and peoples everywhere to listen, look, and face the world’s most pressing problems.

Wasn’t it, after all, after the women’s conference in Nairobi 10 years ago that the world focused for the first time on the crisis of domestic violence?

Earlier today, I participated in a World Health Organization forum. In that forum, we talked about ways that government officials, NGOs, and individual citizens are working to address the health problems of women and girls.

Tomorrow, I will attend a gathering of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. There, the discussion will focus on local and highly successful programs that give hardworking women access to credit so they can improve their own lives and the lives of their families.

What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. That is why every woman, every man, every child, every family, and every nation on our planet does have a stake in the discussion that takes place here.

Over the past 25 years, I have worked persistently on issues relating to women, children, and families. Over the past two and a half years, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing women in my own country and around the world.

I have met new mothers in Indonesia who come together regularly in their village to discuss nutrition, family planning, and baby care.

I have met working parents in Denmark who talk about the comfort they feel in knowing that their children can be cared for in safe and nurturing after-school centers.

I have met women in South Africa who helped lead the struggle to end apartheid and are now helping to build a new democracy.

I have met with the leading women of my own hemisphere who are working every day to promote literacy and better health care for children in their countries.

I have met women in India and Bangladesh who are taking out small loans to buy milk cows, or rickshaws, or thread in order to create a livelihood for themselves and their families.

I have met the doctors and nurses in Belarus and Ukraine who are trying to keep children alive in the aftermath of Chernobyl.

The great challenge of this conference is to give voice to women everywhere whose experiences go unnoticed, whose words go unheard.

Women comprise more than half the world’s population, 70 percent of the world’s poor, and two-thirds of those who are not taught to read and write. We are the primary caretakers for most of the world’s children and elderly. Yet much of the work we do is not valued—not by economists, not by historians, not by popular culture, not by government leaders.

At this very moment, as we sit here, women around the world are giving birth, raising children, cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning houses, planting crops, working on assembly lines, running companies, and running countries.

Women also are dying from diseases that should have been prevented or treated; they are watching their children succumb to malnutrition caused by poverty and economic deprivation; they are being denied the right to go to school by their own fathers and brothers; they are being forced into prostitution; and they are being barred from the bank-lending offices and banned from the ballot box.

Those of us who have the opportunity to be here have the responsibility to speak for those who could not. As an American, I want to speak for women in my own country—women who are raising children on the minimum wage, women who can’t afford health care or child care, women whose lives are threatened by violence, including violence in their own homes.

I want to speak up for mothers who are fighting for good schools, safe neighborhoods, clean air, and clean airwaves; for older women, some of them widows, who find that after raising their families, their skills and life experiences are not valued in the marketplace; for women who are working all night as nurses, hotel clerks, or fast-food chefs so that they can be at home during the day with their children; and for women everywhere who simply don’t have time to do everything they are called upon to do each and every day.

Speaking to you today, I speak for them, just as each of us speaks for women around the world who are denied the chance to go to school, or see a doctor, or own property, or have a say about the direction of their lives, simply because they are women. The truth is that most women around the world work both inside and outside the home, usually by necessity.

We need to understand there is no one formula for how women should lead our lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her own God-given potential.

We also must recognize that women will never gain full dignity until their human rights are respected and protected.

Our goals for this conference—to strengthen families and societies by empowering women to take greater control over their own destinies—cannot be fully achieved unless all governments, here and around the world, accept their responsibility to protect and promote internationally recognized human rights.

The international community has long acknowledged—and recently reaffirmed at Vienna—that both women and men are entitled to a range of protections and personal freedoms, from the right of personal security to the right to determine freely the number and spacing of the children they bear.

No one should be forced to remain silent for fear of religious or political persecution, arrest, abuse, or torture. Tragically, women are most often the ones whose human rights are violated. Even now, in the late 20th century, the rape of women continues to be used as an instrument of armed conflict. Women and children make up a large majority of the world’s refugees. And when women are excluded from the political process, they become even more vulnerable to abuse.

I believe that, now on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break the silence. It is time for us to say here in Beijing, and for the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights as separate from human rights.

These abuses have continued because, for too long, the history of women has been a history of silence. Even today, there are those who are trying to silence our words.

But the voices of this conference and of the women at Huairou must be heard loudly and clearly:

It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls.

It is a violation of human rights when women and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution for human greed, and the kinds of reasons that are used to justify this practice should no longer be tolerated.

It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire, and burned to death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small.

It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities and when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war.

It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide among women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes, by their own relatives.

It is a violation of human rights when young girls are brutalized by the painful and degrading practice of genital mutilation.

It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families, and that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will.

If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all.

And among those rights are the right to speak freely and the right to be heard. Women must enjoy the right to participate fully in the social and political lives of their countries if we want freedom and democracy to thrive and endure. It is indefensible that many women in nongovernmental organizations who wished to participate in this conference have not been able to attend or have been prohibited from fully taking part.

Let me be clear: Freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize, and debate openly. It means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments. It means not taking citizens away from their loved ones and jailing them, mistreating them, or denying them their freedom or dignity because of the peaceful expression of their ideas and opinions.

In my country, we recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of women’s suffrage. It took 150 years after the signing of our Declaration of Independence for women to win the right to vote. It took 72 years of organized struggle before that happened on the part of many courageous women and men. It was one of America’s most divisive philosophical wars. But it was a bloodless war. Suffrage was achieved without a shot being fired.

But we have also been reminded, in V-J Day observances last weekend, of the good that comes when men and women join together to combat the forces of tyranny and to build a better world. We have seen peace prevail in most places for a half century. We have avoided another world war. But we have not solved older, deeply rooted problems that continue to diminish the potential of half the world’s population.

Now it is time to act on behalf of women everywhere.

If we take bold steps to better the lives of women, we will be taking bold steps to better the lives of children and families too. Families rely on mothers and wives for emotional support and care; families rely on women for labor in the home; and increasingly everywhere, families rely on women for income needed to raise healthy children and care for other relatives.

As long as discrimination and inequities remain so commonplace everywhere in the world, as long as girls and women are valued less, fed less, fed last, overworked, underpaid, not schooled, subjected to violence in and out of their homes, the potential of the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be realized.

Let this conference be our—and the world’s—call to action.

Let us heed that call so that we can create a world in which every woman is treated with respect and dignity, every boy and girl is loved and cared for equally, and every family has the hope of a strong and stable future.

That is the work before you; that is the work before all of us who have a vision of the world we want to see for our children and our grandchildren. The time is now. We must move beyond rhetoric; we must move beyond recognition of problems to working together to have the common efforts to build that common ground we hope to see.

God’s blessings on you, your work, and all who will benefit from it. Godspeed and thank you very much.

A girl holding up a sign during a protest

A demonstrator raises a sign that says, "Human rights are women's rights" at the Women's March in Los Angeles in 2018. Though the concept had long been controversial, the United Nations declared that women's rights are human rights in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

HISTORY & CULTURE

'Women's Rights are Human Rights,' 25 years on

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech at a UN conference propelled this idea into the mainstream after centuries of society sidelining gender equality as “women’s issues.”

When Hillary Rodham Clinton approached the podium at a United Nations conference on women in September 1995 in Beijing, she faced an uncertain audience. Only a few people had read the speech, which was a well-guarded secret even to high-ranking members of the president’s cabinet. “Nobody knew what to expect,” recalls Melanne Verveer , the then first lady’s chief of staff, who later served as the first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues when Clinton became secretary of state.

Twenty-five years later, a single phrase from Clinton’s speech has entered mainstream parlance: “Women’s rights are human rights.” The concept wasn’t new. But the excitement and energy that Clinton’s speech generated at the Fourth World Conference on Women helped elevate the idea to one that fuels modern feminism and international efforts to achieve gender parity.

Women’s rights advocates have long argued that gender equality should be a human right—but were thwarted for years by those who claimed their rights were subordinate to those of men. During the infancy of the American feminist movement of the 1830s, abolitionists and women’s rights advocates tussled over whether it was more important to seek freedom for enslaved people or equality for women. As women pushed for their rights to vote, access educational opportunities, and own property, male abolitionists like Theodore Weld urged them to wait, arguing that they should first fight for the abolition of slavery as a matter of human rights.

Some women, such as educator Catharine Beecher , argued that women deserved rights because of their morality—as they were uniquely positioned to edify and enlighten men—not their humanity. She cautioned that their roles in public life should not extend into equality in the home. In response, abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Angelina Grimké wrote , “I recognize no rights but human rights,” noting that a society that didn’t give women power or a political voice violated their innate human rights. She was just one of a group of women who invoked the idea throughout the 19 th century. (Grimké later went on to marry Weld, who was her mentor.)

In the 1970s, the idea resurfaced as so-called second-wave feminists, who believed women should have access to full societal and legal rights, attempted to put women’s rights on the international agenda. In many countries, there was no consensus that women had a right to equal partnership in marriage, power over their finances, an equal education, or a life free of sexual assault or harassment. Between 1975 and 1995, the United Nations convened four landmark Conferences on Women that made gender parity a global priority. ( Here are the best and worst countries to be a woman. )

The first conference, held in Mexico City in 1975, recognized women’s equality. Eighty-nine of the 133 nations that participated adopted a framework to help women gain equal access to all facets of society; several western nations abstained , and the United States opposed the framework. In 1980, a follow-up conference in Copenhagen called for stronger protections for women, with an emphasis on property ownership, child custody, and a restructuring of inheritance laws. A third in Nairobi in 1985 called attention to violence against women. But though these conferences brought women’s issues to the international stage, each one fell short because of a lack of consensus and failure to implement the adopted platforms. By 1995, global women’s leaders had agreed it was time to create an action plan to guarantee equality for women.

For Hungry Minds

Slated for Beijing in September 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women took place in an atmosphere of intense international condemnation of the host nation’s treatment of its own citizens. Human rights groups and governments criticized China’s history of political imprisonment, torture, detention, and denial of religious freedom. The nation’s one-child policy , which put family planning decisions under state control, came under particular fire.

Women sit on the floor while watching a large screen

Women watch Hillary Rodham Clinton speak to the abuse against women at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Her call for women's rights to be considered human rights has since become mainstream.

News that Clinton would attend and speak at the meeting prompted an American outcry. “There were serious efforts not to make [the speech] happen,” Verveer recalls. “You had a cacophony of voices that were trying to keep this from being meaningful or successful.” The first lady faced outrage from human rights advocates who objected to the China visit on principle, conservative politicians who disapproved of her outspoken feminism, and people who worried the speech could threaten the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and China.

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“I wanted to push the envelope as far as I could for girls and women,” Clinton said in a virtual public event hosted on September 10 by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security , of which Verveer is the executive director. ( A century after women’s suffrage in the U.S., the fight for equality isn’t over. )

On September 5, 1995, the second day of the conference, Clinton took the podium in front of representatives from all over the world. As Clinton spoke, Verveer watched the delegates’ faces closely. The speech cited a “litany of violations against women,” including rape, female genital mutilation, dowry burnings, and domestic violence—which Clinton labeled as human rights violations. She excoriated those who forcibly sterilized women and condemned those who restricted civil liberties, a jab at China, which restricted news coverage of the event.

The room was “filled with women who were in the trenches of those issues,” says Verveer. “The audience was completely pulled into their struggle.” The mostly female delegation applauded and cheered during the 20-minute speech, sometimes even pounding their fists on the tables to underscore their approval.

“The reaction was extraordinary,” Verveer says. On September 15, the phrase “women’s rights are human rights” was unanimously adopted as part of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action , which defined 12 areas—including education, health, economic participation, and the environment—in need of urgent international action. The document still governs the global agenda for women’s issues and is credited with helping narrow the education gap, improve maternal health, and reduce violence against women. ( Around the world, women are taking charge of their futures. )

Fourth World Conference on Women participants (from left) Benedita Da Silva of Brazil, Vuyiswa Bongile Keyi of Canada, and Silvia Salley of the United States cheer at the conclusion of the "Women of Color" press briefing where they stated that racism was not adequately addressed in the declaration.

Today, the idea that human rights and women’s rights are synonymous is considered mainstream. “I have rarely seen a single message carry such [an] important meaning and have such a durable life,” former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security event commemorating the anniversary.

But the work of gender equality is not yet done—and 25 years after Beijing, women still face systemic inequities and gaps in terms of safety, economic and political mobility, and more. “Girls need to know that they stand on the shoulders of other people who struggled to gain the rights they enjoy today,” says Verveer. “They need to play a role in ensuring the work goes on. There has been progress, but there is a long journey ahead.”

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Address on Woman’s Rights

Elizabeth cady stanton, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Address on Woman’s Rights . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Address on Woman’s Rights: Introduction

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Historical Context of Address on Woman’s Rights

Other books related to address on woman’s rights.

Full Title: Address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton on Woman’s Rights
When Written: Mid-1840s
Where Written: New York
When Published: First delivered in 1848, though it is debated whether Cady Stanton first delivered it at the Seneca Falls Convention in July or later that year, in September
Literary Period: First-Wave Feminism
Genre: Persuasive Speech
Climax: Elizabeth Cady Stanton declares that a new era of women’s equality is about to dawn.
Point of View: First Person

Extra Credit for Address on Woman’s Rights

Dynamic Duo. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony are two giants of first-wave feminism—and their collaboration went even deeper than many know. Stanton composed many of the speeches that Susan B. Anthony delivered throughout her travels around the United States. (Stanton was a wife and mother, whereas Anthony was unmarried and free to travel.) Stanton would later say of her partnership with Anthony, “I forged the thunderbolts and she fired them.”

10 Famous Speeches To Ignite The Feminist Fire Within You

Be inspired by the words of these powerful women

preview for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Received A Handwritten letter From Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri

Throughout history, so many of the people to make us stop and take note with their famous speeches have been women. From the women's suffrage movement in the 1800s and feminism's second wave in the 1970s to the global Women's March in 2017, the words and actions of famous figures such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Virginia Woolf, Maya Angelou and Gloria Steinhem (to name just a few) have transformed society.

It might explain then why the theme of International Women's Day 2021 was #ChooseToChallenge. We can learn so much from the powerful actions and inspiring words of the women who came before us – but, also, there's still so much work we have to do. It's our duty to carry on their work, challenging and changing and speaking up for equality .

And so here, we've rounded up the most famous speeches from a new era of women, who are continuing the task of transforming opinions, breaking boundaries and inspiring us all to keep choosing to challenge. Listen, learn and take note.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Will Not Accept Your Apology

After Florida Representative Ted Yoho reportedly called Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'a f*cking b*tch' on the steps of the Capitol in July 2020, he tried to excuse his behaviour by saying he has a wife and daughters. In response, AOC (as she's commonly referred to) took to the House floor with what has since been hailed 'the most important feminist speech of a generation' – fluently and passionately detailing why his 'apology' was, simply, not good enough.

Quotes of note:

'I am someone's daughter too. My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television, and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.

'What I believe is that having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man, and when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologise.'

Natalie Portman On Dismantling The Patriarchy

From her smart quip of 'here are all the male nominees' at the 2018 Golden Globes , calling out the women directors snubbed for the category, to her rousing 'f*ck up and thrive, sisters' speech at the ELLE Women In Hollywood event in 2019, Portman consistently calls out inequality in the film industry. And the actor's address at Variety's Women of Power event in 2019 was no different. In what is now referred to as 'Natalie Portman's Step-by-Step Guide to Toppling the Patriarchy', she made a strong case for all the ways in which we, as individuals, can make a difference.

'Be embarrassed if everyone in your workplace looks like you. Pay attention to physical ability, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and make sure you've got all kinds of experiences represented.

'Stop the rhetoric that a woman is crazy or difficult. If a man says a woman is crazy or difficult, ask him: What bad thing did you do to her? It's code that he is trying to discredit her reputation. Make efforts to hire people who've had their reputations smeared in retaliation.'

Michelle Obama On The Inequality Of Failure

Let's be honest: there are so many Michelle Obama speeches to choose from – the former FLOTUS is renowned for her passion for equality and her ability to uplift others with her words. But in a poignant keynote conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross at the United State of Women Summit in 2018, Obama spoke openly about the often-overlooked inequality of failure, and the disparities in repercussions for men and women.

Quote of note:

'I wish that girls could fail as bad as men do and be OK. Because let me tell you, watching men fail up, it is frustrating. It's frustrating to see a lot of men blow it and win. And we hold ourselves to these crazy, crazy standards.

'Start with what you can control. You start there. Because thinking about changing your workplace and changing the way the world thinks – that's big; that's daunting. And then you shrink from that. So start with what you can control. And that's you, first. And those questions start within. First, we must ask ourselves, "Are we using our voices? And when are we not? When are we playing it safe?" And at least be cognisant of that and understand, "These are the times that I shrunk away from doing more than I could, and let me think about why that was."'

Gina Martin On Misogyny, The Power Of Anger And How She Changed The Law

As she tells us in this refreshing TEDx talk from 2020, Gina Martin is not the kind of woman you'd expect to change the law. And yet, she did. The activist discusses the moment in 2017 when a stranger took a picture of her crotch at a festival without her consent – and how, after years of relentless campaigning, she succeeded in making upskirting a criminal offence. Martin makes it clear that anyone can make a change, no matter who they are or where they're from. And that's a lesson we all need to hear.

'Anger is a very normal response to having your human rights compromised. That's important to say. We have to stop using it to delegitimise people, with "angry feminist" or "angry Black woman" – all of these stereotypes. People are allowed to be angry about this stuff. And we have to hold space for them there. We have to realise it's not about us.

'Think about where you hold privilege – it might be in your job, as a parent, as a teacher, or just in the colour of your skin – and start this work now. Stop laughing at the jokes, buy the book, go to the event, diversify your social feeds, ask the questions. Sympathy is soothing, but it doesn't go far enough. Action does. And listen, you'll get things wrong. We all do, I've had some clangers. But it's not about perfection, it's about progress, it's about doing it because it's the right thing to do. We are so done with waiting for society to "change things" for us. We literally are society.'

Lady Gaga On Reclaiming Your Power

When Lady Gaga accepted her ELLE Women In Hollywood award in 2018, her career appeared to be at an all-time high, with Oscar buzz for her role in A Star Is Born , and her song 'Shallow' at number one in the US. But, as she explained, what people perceive a woman, especially in Hollywood, isn't always the reality.

Gaga may have made this moving speech several years ago, but it feels particularly poignant to revisit it during a period in which violence towards women is a more devastating and pressing topic than ever. In it, Gaga recounts how being sexually assaulted caused her to 'shut down' and 'hide'. She explores the debilitating effect of shame on her mental health and also the power of kindness and support in overcoming it.

Importantly, Gaga explains that she eventually found her power within herself – and how, once she took it back, she was able to use it to move beyond the prescribed expectations society puts upon women.

'What does it really mean to be a woman in Hollywood? We are not just objects to entertain the world. We are not simply images to bring smiles or grimaces to people's faces. We are not members of a giant beauty pageant meant to be pit against one another for the pleasure of the public. We women in Hollywood, we are voices. We have deep thoughts and ideas and beliefs and values about the world and we have the power to speak and be heard and fight back when we are silenced.'

'I decided today I wanted to take the power back. Today I wear the pants... I had a revelation that I had to be empowered to be myself today more than ever. To resist the standards of Hollywood, whatever that means. To resist the standards of dressing to impress. To use what really matters: my voice.'

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie On Redefining Feminism

You may not have knowingly heard to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's speech before, but there's a good chance you will have listened to her words without realising – Beyoncé actually weaved a key part of Adichie's feminist manifesto into her track '***Flawless'. In her speech, Adichie reflects on the gender disparities still evident our society, with a focus on those in her native Africa, and dissects the meaning of 'feminist' – both the connotations and myths it carries – and how she came to define the term for herself.

'We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller, we say to girls, "You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful, otherwise you would threaten the man." ...But what if we question the premise itself? Why should a woman's success be a threat to a man?

'I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be. Gender is not an easy conversation to have. For both men and women, to bring up gender is sometimes to encounter almost immediate resistance... Some of the men here might be thinking, "OK, all of this is interesting, but I don't think like that." And that is part of the problem – that many men do not actively think about gender or notice gender is part of the problem.'

Kamala Harris On Setting A New Standard For The Next Generation

On November 7 2020, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered her first national address after Joe Biden 's position as President was secured. As the first woman to hold the position and the first person of colour to do so, Harris' presence alone was enough to break boundaries. But then came her words. In the speech, she reflected on triumph of democracy and credited the work of the women who came before us, plus that of 'a new generation of women in... who cast their ballots and continued the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard'.

'While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way.'

Amanda Gorman On Finding Your Voice

If you didn't know Amanda Gorman before this year, you'll definitely know her now, thanks to her reading at US President Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony. The United States' first-ever youth poet laureate's powerful, rhythmic poem 'The Hill We Climb' made the world stop and listen, highlighting the many inequalities in our society and reminding us that we need to work together to overcome them.

While 2021 was the year that catapulted Gorman into the spotlight, it wasn't the first time she'd spoken out about the world around her. In her 2018 TED Talk, she discusses the power of speech, learning to find her voice and how 'poetry is actually at the centre of our most political questions about what it means to be a democracy'.

'I had a moment of realisation, where I thought, "If I choose not to speak out of fear, then there's no one that my silence is standing for."'

'When someone asks me to write a poem that's not political, what they're really asking me is to not ask charged and challenging questions in my poetic work. And that does not work, because poetry is always at the pulse of the most dangerous and most daring questions that a nation or a world might face.'

'If I choose, not out of fear, but out of courage, to speak, then there's something unique that my words can become... It might feel like every story has been told before, but the truth is, no one's ever told my story in the way I would tell it.'

Frances McDormand Demands Inclusion In Hollywood

It's one thing to make a great acceptance speech at the Oscars. But to share that honour with your fellow nominees and use it as a platform to highlight where your industry needs to do better? That's a whole other story, and one told by McDormand in a speech that got everybody on their feet as she accepted the Oscar for Best Actress at the 2018 Academy Awards.

'I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honoured to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors... the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographers, the composers, the songwriters, the designers... We all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: "inclusion rider".'

Meghan Markle On Realising The Magnitude Of Individual Action

Long before she made headlines as the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle had already made the world take notice. At the UN Women Conference back in 2015, she spoke about 'accidentally' becoming a female advocate when at just 11 years old, when she convinced a dish soap company to change their sexist tagline from 'Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans' to 'People all over America…' instead. Here, she discusses the power of individual action, and why we need to remind women that 'their involvement matters'.

'It is just imperative: women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, well then, you know what, they need to create their own table. We need a global understanding that we cannot implement change effectively without women's political participation.

'It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision – because it isn't enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now.

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03 Nov 2001 Susan B. Anthony on a Woman’s Right to Vote – 1873

Woman’s Rights to the Suffrage

by Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

This speech was delivered in 1873, after Anthony was arrested, tried and fined $100 for voting in the 1872 presidential election.

Friends and Fellow Citizens: I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that in thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but, instead, simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution, beyond the power of any State to deny.

The preamble of the Federal Constitution says:

“We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people–women as well as men. And it is a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government–the ballot.

For any State to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people is to pass a bill of attainder, or an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the blessings of liberty are for ever withheld from women and their female posterity. To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of sex; the most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe; an oligarchy of wealth, where the right govern the poor. An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured; but this oligarchy of sex, which makes father, brothers, husband, sons, the oligarchs over the mother and sisters, the wife and daughters of every household–which ordains all men sovereigns, all women subjects, carries dissension, discord and rebellion into every home of the nation.

Webster, Worcester and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office.

The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not. Being persons, then, women are citizens; and no State has a right to make any law, or to enforce any old law, that shall abridge their privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimination against women in the constitutions and laws of the several States is today null and void, precisely as in every one against Negroes.

The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today’s public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century. Learn More About Us Subscribe to Our Updates

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, “ADDRESS ON WOMAN’S RIGHTS” (SEPTEMBER 1848)

[1] Ladies and gentlemen, when invited some weeks ago to address you I proposed to a gentleman of this village to review our report of the Seneca Falls convention and give his objections to our Declaration, resolutions and proceedings to serve me as a text on which to found an address for this evening “the gentleman did so, but his review was so laconic that there was the same difficulty in replying to it as we found in replying to a recent sermon preached at Seneca Falls-there was nothing of it.

[2] Should that gentleman be present this evening and feel disposed to give any of his objections to our movement, we will be most happy to answer him.

[3] I should feel exceedingly diffident to appear before you wholly unused as I am to public speaking, were I not nerved by a sense of right and duty-did I not feel that the time had fully come for the question of woman’s wrongs to be laid before the public-did I not believe that woman herself must do this work-for woman alone can understand the height and the depth, the length and the breadth of her own degradation and woe. Man cannot speak for us-because he has been educated to believe that we differ from him so materially, that he cannot judge of our thoughts, feelings and opinions by his own. Moral beings can only judge of others by themselves-the moment they give a different nature to any of their own kind they utterly fail. The drunkard was hopelessly lost until it was discovered that he was governed by the same laws of mind as the sober man. Then with what magic power, by kindness and love, was he raised from the slough of despond and placed rejoicing on high land. Let a man once settle the question that woman does not think and feel like himself and he may as well undertake to judge of the amount of intellect and sensation of any of the animal creation as of woman’s nature. He can know but little with certainty, and that but by observation.

[4] Among the many important questions which have been brought before the public, there is none that more vitally affects the whole human family than that which is technically termed Woman’s rights. Every allusion to the degraded and inferior position occupied by woman all over the world, has ever been met by scorn and abuse. From the man of highest mental cultivation, to the most degraded wretch who staggers in the streets do we hear ridicule and coarse jests, freely bestowed upon those who dare assert that woman stands by the side of man-his equal, placed here by her God to enjoy with him the beautiful earth, which is her home as it is his-having the same sense of right and wrong and looking to the same Being for guidance and support. So long has man exercised a tyranny over her injurious to himself and benumbing to her faculties, that but few can nerve themselves against the storm, and so long has the chain been about her that however galling it may be she knows not there is a remedy.

[5] The present social, civil and religious condition of women is a subject too vast to be brought within the limits of one short lecture. Suffice it to say for the present, that wherever we turn the history of woman is sad and drear and dark, without any alleviating circumstances, nothing from which we can draw consolation. As the nations of the earth emerge from a state of barbarism, the sphere of woman gradually becomes wider but not even under what is thought to be the full blaze of the sun of civilization is it what God designed it to be. In every country and clime does man assume the responsibility of marking out the path for her to tread,-in every country does he regard her as a being inferior to himself and one whom he is to guide and controul. From the Arabian Kerek whose wife is obliged to steal from her Husband to supply the necessities of life,-from the Mahometan who forbids pigs dogs women and other impure animals to enter a mosque, and does not allow a fool, madman or women to proclaim the hour of prayer,-from the German who complacently smokes his meerschaum while his wife, yoked with the ox draws the plough through its furrow,-from the delectable gentleman who thinks an inferior style of conversation adapted to women-to the legislator who considers her incapable of saying what laws shall govern her, is this same feeling manifested. In all eastern countries she is a mere slave bought and sold at pleasure. There are many differences in habits, manners, and customs, among the heathen nations of the old world, but there is little change for the better in woman’s lot-she is either the drudge of man to perform all the hard labour of the field and the menial duties of the hut, tent, or house, or she is the idol of his lust the mere creature of his ever varying whims and will. Truly has she herself said in her best estate,

I am a slave, a favoured slave At best to share his pleasure and seem very blest, When weary of these fleeting charms and me,

There yawns the sack and yonder rolls the sea, What! am I then a toy for dotards play To wear but till the gilding frets away?

[6] In christian countries, boasting a more advanced state of civilization and refinement, woman still holds a position infinitely inferior to man. In France the Salic law tells much although it is said that woman there has ever had great influence in all political revolutions. In England she seems to have advanced a little- There she has a right to the throne, and is allowed to hold some other offices and some women have a right to vote too- But in the United States of America woman has no right either to hold office, nor to the elective franchise, we stand at this moment, unrepresented in this government-our rights and interests wholly overlooked.

[7] Let us now glance at some of the popular objections to this whole question. There is a class of men who believe in the natural inborn, inbred superiority both in body and mind and their full complete Heaven descended right to lord it over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, the beast of the field and last tho’ not least the immortal being called woman. I would recommend this class to the attentive perusal of their Bibles-to historical research, to foreign travel-to a closer observation of the manifestations of mind about them and to an humble comparison of themselves with such women as Catharine of Russia, Elizabeth of England distinguished for their statesmanlike qualities, Harriet Martineau and Madame de Stael for their literary attainments, or Caroline Herschel and Mary Summerville for their scientific researches, or for physical equality to that whole nation of famous women the Amazones. We seldom find this class of objectors among liberally educated persons, who have had the advantage of observing their race in different countries, climes, and under different phases, but barbarians tho’ they be in entertaining such an opinion-they must be met and fairly vanquished.

Man superior, intellectually, morally and physically.

[8] 1st Let us consider his intellectual superiority. Man’s superiority cannot be a question until we have had a fair trial. When we shall have had our colleges, our professions, our trades, for a century a comparison may then be justly instituted. When woman instead of being taxed to endow colleges where she is forbidden to enter, instead of forming societies to educate young men shall first educate herself, when she shall be just to herself before she is generous to others-improving the talents God has given her and leaving her neighbour to do the same for himself we shall not then hear so much of this boasted greatness. How often now we see young men carelessly throwing away the intellectual food their sisters crave. A little music that she may while an hour away pleasantly, a little French, a smattering of the sciences and in rare instances some slight classical knowledge and a woman is considered highly educated. She leaves her books and studies just at the time a young man is entering thoroughly into his-then comes the cares and perplexities of married life. Her sphere being confined to her house and children, the burden generally being very unequally divided, she knows nothing beside and whatever yearning her spirit may have felt for a higher existence, whatever may have been the capacity she well knew she possessed for more elevated enjoyments-enjoyments which would not conflict with these but add new lustre to them-it is all buried beneath the weight that presses upon her. Men bless their innocence are fond of representing themselves as beings of reason-of intellect-while women are mere creatures of the affections- There is a self conceit that makes the possesser infinitely happy and one would dislike to dispel the illusion, if it were possible to endure it. But so far as we can observe it is pretty much now-a-days as it was with Adam of old. No doubt you all recollect the account we have given us. A man and a woman were placed in a beautiful garden. Every thing was about them that could contribute to their enjoyment. Trees and shrubs, fruits and flowers, and gently murmuring streams made glad their hearts. Zephyrs freighted with delicious odours fanned their brows and the serene stars looked down upon them with eyes of love.

[9] The Evil One saw their happiness and it troubled him. He set his wits to work to know how he should destroy it. He thought that man could be easily conquered through his affection for the woman. But the woman would require more management. She could be reached only through her intellectual nature. So he promised her the knowledge of good and evil. He told her the sphere of her reason should be enlarged, he promised to gratify the desire she felt for intellectual improvement, so he prevailed and she did eat. Did the Evil One judge rightly in regard to man? Eve took an apple went to Adam and said “Dear Adam taste this apple if you love me eat.” Adam stopped not so much as to ask if the apple was sweet or sour. He knew he was doing wrong, but his love for Eve prevailed and he did eat. Which I ask you was the “creature of the affections”?

[10] 2nd Let us consider man’s claims to superiority as a moral being. Look now at our theological seminaries, our divinity students-the long line of descendents from our apostolic Fathers and what do we find here? Perfect moral rectitude in every relation of life, a devoted spirit of self sacrifice, a perfect union in thought opinion and feeling among those who profess to worship the one God and whose laws they feel themselves called upon to declare to a fallen race? Far from it. These persons all so thoroughly acquainted with the character of God and of his designs made manifest by his words and works are greatly divided among themselves-every sect has its God, every sect has its own Bible, and there is as much bitterness, envy, hatred and malice between these contending sects yea even more than in our political parties during periods of the greatest excitement. Now the leaders of these sects are the priesthood who are supposed to have passed their lives almost in the study of the Bible, in various languages and with various commentaries, in the contemplation of the infinite, the eternal and the glorious future open to the redeemed of earth. Are they distinguished among men for their holy aspirations-their virtue, purity, and chastity? Do they keep themselves unspotted from the world? Is the moral and religious life of this class what we might expect from minds (said to be) continually fixed on such mighty themes? By no means, not a year passes but we hear of some sad soul sickening deed perpetrated by some of this class. If such be the state of the most holy we need not pause now to consider those classes who claim of us less reverence and respect. The lamentable want of principle among our lawyers generally is too well known to need comment-the everlasting bickering and backbiting of our physicians is proverbial- The disgraceful riots at our polls where man in performing so important a duty of a citizen ought surely to be sober minded. The perfect rowdyism that now characterizes the debates in our national congress-all these are great facts which rise up against man’s claim to moral superiority.

[11] In my opinion he is infinitely woman’s inferior in every moral virtue, not by nature, but made so by a false education. In carrying out his own selfishness, man has greatly improved woman’s moral nature, but by an almost total shipwreck of his own. Woman has now the noble virtues of the martyr, she is early schooled to self denial and suffering. But man is not so wholly buried in selfishness that he does not sometimes get a glimpse of the narrowness of his soul, as compared with women. Then he says by way of an excuse for his degradation, God made woman more self denying than us, it is her nature, it does not cost her as much to give up her wishes, her will, her life even as it does us. We are naturally selfish, God made us so. No! think not that he who made the heavens and the earth, the whole planetary world ever moving on in such harmony and order, that he who has so bountifully scattered, through all nature so many objects that delight, enchant and fill us with admiration and wonder, that he who has made the mighty ocean mountain and cataract, the bright and joyous birds, the tender lovely flowers, that he who made man in his own image, perfect, noble and pure, loving justice, mercy, and truth, think not that He has had any part in the production of that creeping, cringing, crawling, debased selfish monster now extant, claiming for himself the name of man. No God’s commands rest upon man as well as woman, and it is as much his duty to be kind, gentle, self denying and full of good works as it is hers, as much his duty to absent himself from scenes of violence as it is hers. A place or a position that would require the sacrifice of delicacy and refinement of woman’s nature is unfit for man, for these virtues should be as carefully guarded in him as in her.

[12] The false ideas that prevail with regard to the purity necessary to constitute the perfect character in woman and that requisite for man have done an infinite deal of mischief in the world. We would not have woman less pure, but we would have man more so. We would have the same code of morals for both. Moral delinquencies which exclude women from the society of the true and the good should assign to man the same place. Our partiality towards man has been the fruitful source of dissipation and riot, drunkenness and debauchery and immorality of all kinds. It has not only affected woman injuriously by narrowing her sphere of action, but man himself has suffered from it. It has destroyed the nobleness, the gentleness that should belong to his character, the beauty and transparency of soul the dislike of every thing bordering on coarseness and vulgarity, all those finer qualities of our nature which raise us above the earth and give us a foretaste of the beauty and bliss, the refined enjoyments of the world to come.

[13] 3rd Let us now consider man’s claims to physical superiority. Methinks I hear some say, surely you will not contend for equality here. Yes, we must not give an inch lest you claim an ell, we cannot accord to man even this much and he has no right to claim it until the fact be fully demonstrated, until the physical education of the boy and the girl shall have been the same for many years. If you claim the advantage of size merely, why it may be that under any course of training in ever so perfect a developement of the physique in woman, man might still be the larger of the two, tho’ we do not grant even this. But the perfection of the physique is great power combined with endurance. Now your strongest men are not always the tallest men, nor the broadest, nor the most corpulent, but very often the small man who is well built, tightly put together and possessed of an indomitable will. Bodily strength depends something on the power of will. The sight of a small boy thoroughly thrashing a big one is not rare. Now would you say the big fat boy whipped was superior to the small active boy who conquered him? You do not say the horse is physically superior to the man-for although he has more muscular power, yet the power of mind in man renders him his superior and he guides him wherever he will.

[14] The power of mind seems to be in no way connected with the size and strength of body. Many men of Herculean powers of mind have been small and weak in body. The late distinguished Dr Channing of Boston was very small and feeble in appearance and voice, yet he has moved the world by the eloquence of his pen. John Quincy Adams was a small man of but little muscular power, yet we know he had more courage than all the northern dough faces of six feet high and well proportioned that ever represented us at our Capitol. We know that mental power depends much more on the temperament than the size of the head or the size of the body. I have never heard that Daniel Lambert was distinguished for any great mental endowments. We cannot say what the woman might be physically, if the girl were allowed all the freedom of the boy in romping, climbing, swimming, playing hoop and ball. Among some of the Tarter tribes of the present day the women manage a horse, hurl a javelin, hunt wild animals, and fight an enemy as well as the men. The Indian women endure fatigue and carry burthens that some of our fair faced, soft handed, mustachoed, young gentlemen would consider it quite impossible for them to sustain. The Croatian, and Wallachian women perform all the agricultural operations, (and we know what physical strength such labours require) in addition to their own domestic concerns; and it is no uncommon sight in our cities to see the German immigrant with his hands in his pockets, walking complacently by the side of his wife, whilst she is bending beneath the weight of some huge package or piece of furniture,-physically as well as intellectually it is use that produces growth and developement. But there is a class of objectors who say they do not claim superiority, they merely assert a difference, but you will find by following them up closely that they make this difference to be vastly in favour of man. The Phrenologist says that woman’s head has just as many organs as man’s and that they are similarly situated. He says too that the organs that are the most exercised are the most prominent. They do not divide heads according to sex but they call all the fine heads masculine and all the ill shaped feminine, for when a woman presents a remarkably large well developed intellectual region, they say she has a masculine head, as if there could be nothing remarkable of the feminine gender and when a man has a small head very little reasoning power and the affections inordinately developed they say he has a woman’s head thus giving all glory to masculinity.

Some say our heads are less. Some men’s are small, not they the least of men; For often fineness compensates for size; Beside the brain is like the hand and grows, With using–

[15] We, the women of this state have met in convention within the last few months both in Rochester and Seneca Falls to discuss our rights and wrongs. We did not as some have supposed assemble to go into the detail of social life alone, we did not propose to petition the legislature to make our Husbands just, generous and courteous, to seat every man at the head of a cradle and to clothe every woman in male attire, no none of these points however important they may be considered by humble minds, were touched upon in the convention. As to their costume the gentlemen need feel no fear of our imitating that for we think it in violation of every principle of beauty taste and dignity and notwithstanding all the contempt and abuse cast upon our loose flowing garments we still admire their easy graceful folds, and consider our costume as an object of taste much more beautiful than theirs. Many of the nobler sex seem to agree with us in this opinion for all the Bishops, Priests, Judges, Barristers, and Lord Mayors of the first nation on the globe and the Pope of Rome too, when officiating in their highest offices, they all wear the loose flowing robes, thus tacitly acknowledging that the ordinary male attire is neither dignified nor imposing. No! we shall not molest you in your philosophical experiments with stocks, pants, high heeled boots and Russian belt. Yours be the glory to discover by personal experience how long the knee pan can resist the terrible strapping down which you impose-in how short time the well developed muscles of the throat can be reduced to mere threads by the constant pressure of the stock, how high the heel of the boot must be to make a short man tall and how tight the Russian belt may be drawn and yet have wind enough to sustain life. Our ambition leads us neither to discovery or martyrdom of this sort.

[16] But we did assemble to protest against a form of government existing without the consent of the governed, to declare our right to be free as man is free-to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support-to have such disgraceful laws as give to man the right to chastise and imprison his wife-to take the wages which she earns,-the property which she inherits and in case of separation the children of her love-laws which make her the mere dependent on his bounty-it was to protest against such unjust laws as these and to have them if possible forever erased from our statute books, deeming them a standing shame and disgrace to a professedly republican, christian people in the nineteenth century. We met

To uplift woman’s fallen divinity Upon an even pedestal with man

[17] And strange as it may seem to many we then and there declared our right to vote according to the Declaration of the government under which we live. This right no one pretends to deny. We need not prove ourselves equal to Daniel Webster to enjoy this privilege for the most ignorant Irishman in the ditch has all the civil rights he has, we need not prove our muscular power equal to this same Irishman to enjoy this privilege for the most tiny, weak, ill shaped, imbecile stripling of 21 has all the civil rights of the Irishman. We have no objection to discuss the question of equality, for we feel that the weight of argument lies wholly with us, but we wish the question of equality kept distinct from the question of rights, for the proof of the one does not determine the truth of the other. All men in this country have the same rights however they may differ in mind, body, or estate. The right is ours. The question now is, how shall we get possession of what rightfully belongs to us. We should not feel so sorely grieved if no man who had not attained the full stature of a Webster, Van Buren, Clay or Gerrit Smith could claim the right of the elective franchise, but to have the rights of drunkards, idiots, horse-racing, rum selling rowdies, ignorant foreigners, and silly boys fully recognised, whilst we ourselves are thrust out from all the rights that belong to citizens-it is too grossly insulting to the dignity of woman to be longer quietly submitted to. The right is ours, have it we must-use it we will. The pens, the tongues, the fortunes, the indomitable wills of many women are already pledged to secure this right. The great truth that no just government can be formed without the consent of the governed, we shall echo and re-echo in the ears of the unjust judge until by continual coming we shall weary him.

[18] But say some would you have woman vote? What refined delicate woman at the polls, mingling in such scenes of violence and vulgarity-most certainly-where there is so much to be feared for the pure, the innocent, the noble, the mother surely should be there to watch and guard her sons, who must encounter such stormy dangerous scenes at the tender age of 21. Much is said of woman’s influence, might not her presence do much towards softening down this violence-refining this vulgarity? Depend upon it that places that by their impure atmosphere are rendered unfit for woman cannot but be dangerous to her sires and sons. But if woman claims all the rights of a citizen will she buckle on her armour and fight in defence of her country? Has not woman already often shown herself as courageous in the field as wise and patriotic in counsel as man? But for myself-I think all war sinful. I believe in Christ-I believe that command Resist not evil to be divine. Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord- Let frail man, who cannot foresee the consequences of an action walk humbly with his God-loving his enemies, blessing those who curse him and always returning good for evil. This is the highest kind of courage that mortal man can attain to and this moral warfare with ones own bad passions requires no physical power to achieve. I would not have man go to war. I can see no glory in fighting with such weapons as guns and swords whilst man has in his possession the infinitely superior and more effective ones of righteousness and truth.

[19] But what would you gain by voting. Man must know the advantages of voting for they all seem very tenacious about the right. Think you if woman had a voice in this government, that all those laws affecting her interests would so entirely violate every principle of right and justice? Had we a vote to give might not the office holders and seekers propose some change in woman’s condition? Might not “woman’s rights” come to be as great a question as “free soil”? But are you not already sufficiently represented by your Fathers, Husbands, Brothers and Sons. Let your statute books answer the question. We have had enough of such representation. In nothing is woman’s true happiness consulted, men like to call her an angel-to feed her with what they think sweet food nourishing her vanity, to induce her to believe her organization is so much finer more delicate than theirs, that she is not fitted to struggle with the tempests of public life but needs their care and protection. Care and protection? such as the wolf gives the lamb-such as the eagle the hare he carries to his eyrie. Most cunningly he entraps her and then takes from her all those rights which are dearer to him than life itself, rights which have been baptized in blood and the maintenance of which is even now rocking to their foundations the kingdoms of the old world. The most discouraging, the most lamentable aspect our cause wears is the indifference indeed the contempt with which women themselves regard our movement. When the subject is introduced among our young ladies among those even who claim to be intelligent and educated it is met by the scornful curl of the lip and by expressions of disgust and ridicule. But we shall hope better things of them when they are enlighted in regard to their present position, to the laws under which they live-they will not then publish their degradation by declaring themselves satisfied nor their ignorance by declaring they have all the rights they want.

[20] They are not the only class of beings who glory in their bondage. In the Turkish Harem where woman is little above the brute of the field, where immortal mind is crushed and the soul itself is as it were blotted out, where beings God has endowed with a spirit capable of enjoying the beauties which he has scattered over the broad earth-a spirit whose cultivation would fit them for a never ending existence, in those Seraglios where intellect and soul are buried beneath the sensualism and brutality which are the inevitable result of the belief in woman’s inferiority, even here she is not only satisfied with her position but glories in it. Miss Martineau in her travels in the East recently published says referring to the inmates of the Harems: Every where they pitied us European women heartily, that we had to go about travelling and appearing in the streets without being properly taken care of, that is watched. They think us strangely neglected in being left so free and boast of their spy system and imprisonment as tokens of the value in which they are held. Can women here, although her spiritual and intellectual nature is recognized to a somewhat greater degree than among the Turks, and she is allowed the privilege of being in her nursery and kitchen, and although the Christian promises her the ascendancy in Heaven as man has it here, while the Mahomedan closes the golden gates of the Celestial city tight against her-can she be content notwithstanding these good things to remain debarred from an equal share with man in the pure enjoyments arising from the full cultivation of her mind and her admission into the rights and privileges which are hers. She must and will ere long, when her spirit awakens and she learns to care less for the

Barren verbiage current among men Light coin the tinsel clink of compliment

She must and will demand

Every where

Two heads in counsel, two beside the hearth Two in the tangled business of the world Two in the liberal offices of life Two plummets dropped to sound the abyss Of science and the secrets of the mind.

[21] Let woman live as she should, let her feel her accountability to her Maker- Let her know that her spirit is fitted for as high a sphere as man’s and that her soul requires food as pure as refreshing as his-let her live first for God and she will not make imperfect man an object of reverence and idolatry- Teach her her responsibility as a being of conscience and of reason-that she will find any earthly support unstable and weak, that her only safe dependence is on the arm of omnipotence. Teach her there is no sex in mind, that true happiness springs from duty accomplished and she will feel the desire to bathe her brow heated from the struggles of an earthly existence in the cool stream that flows fresh and sparkling from the Divine fountain. She will become conscious that each human being is morally accountable for himself that no one can throw upon another his burden of responsibility, that neither Father, Husband, Brother nor son, however willing they may be, can relieve woman from this weight, can stand in her stead when called into the presence of the searcher of spirits.

[22] Methinks I hear some woman say, We must obey our Husbands!! Who says so. Why the Bible. No you have not rightly read your Bible. In the opening of the Bible at the creation of our first parents, God called their name Adam and gave them dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air and the beast of the field, but he says nothing to them about obedience to each other. After the fall after Noah came out of the ark he addresses them in like manner. The chief support that man finds in the Bible for this authority over woman he gets from the injunctions of Paul. It needs but little attention to see how exceedingly limited that command of St Paul must be even if you give it all the weight which is usually claimed for it. Wives obey your Husbands in the Lord. Now as the command is given to me, I am of course to be the judge of what is in the Lord and this opens a wide field of escape from any troublesome commands. There can be no subordination where the one to whom the command is given is allowed to sit in judgement on the character of the command. The Bible argument on this subject would afford of itself sufficient material for an entire lecture. I shall not therefore attempt to go into it at this time, enough now to say that that best of Books is ever on the side of freedom and we shrink not from pleading our cause on its principles of universal justice and love.

[23] Let me here notice one of the greatest humbugs of the day, which has long found for itself a most valuable tool in woman. The education society. The idea to me is monstrous and absurd of woman in her present condition of degradation and ignorance, forming a society for the education of young men-an order of beings above themselves-claiming to be gifted with superior powers of mind and body-having all the avenues to learning, wealth, and distinction thrown freely open to them and if they have but the energy to avail themselves of all these advantages-they can easily secure an education. Whilst woman poor and friendless robbed of all her rights, oppressed on all sides, civilly, religiously, and socially, must needs go ignorant herself-the idea of such a being working day and night with her needle stitch, stitch, stitch, (for the poor widow always throws in her mite for she is taught to believe that all she gives for the decoration of churches and their black coated gentry is unto the Lord) to educate a great strong lug of man.

[24] I think a man who under the present state of things has the moral hardihood to take an education at the hands of woman and at such an expense to her, ought as soon as he graduates with all his honours thick upon him take the first ship for Turkey and there pass his days in earnest efforts to rouse the inmates of the Harems to a true sense of their present debasement and not as is his custom immediately enter our pulpits to tell us of his superiority to us “weaker vessels” his prerogative to command, ours to obey-his duty to preach, ours to keep silence. Oh! for the generous promptings of the days of chivalry-oh! for the poetry of romantic gallantry,-may they shine on us once more-then may we hope that these pious young men who profess to believe in the golden rule, will clothe and educate themselves and encourage poor weak woman to do the same for herself-or perchance they might conceive the happy thought of reciprocating the benefits so long enjoyed by them and form societies for the education of young women of genius whose talents ought to be rescued from the oblivion of ignorance. There is something painfully affecting in the self sacrifice and generosity of women who can neither read or write their own language with correctness going about begging money for the education of men. The last time an appeal of this kind was made to me I told the young lady I would send her to school a year if she would go, but I would never again give one red cent to the education society, and I do hope every christian woman who has the least regard for her sex will make the same resolve. We have worked long enough for man and at a most unjust, unwarrantable sacrifice of self, yet he gives no evidence of gratitude but has thus far treated his benefactors with settled scorn ridicule and contempt. But say they you do not need an education as we do. We expect to shine in the great world, our education is our living. What let me ask is the real object of all education? Just in proportion as the faculties which God has given us are harmoniously developed, do we attain our highest happiness and has not woman an equal right with man to happiness here as well as hereafter and ought she not to have equal facilities with him for making an honest living whilst on this footstool?

[25] One common objection to this movement is that if the principles of freedom and equality which we advocate were put to practise, it would destroy all harmony in the domestic circle. Here let me ask how many truly harmonious households have we now? Take any village circle you know of and on the one hand you will find the meek, sad looking, thoroughly subdued wife who knows no freedom of thought or action-who passes her days in the dull routine of household cares and her nights half perchance in making the tattered garments whole and the other half in slumbers oft disturbed by sick and restless children- She knows nothing of the great world without she has no time for reading and her Husband finds more pleasure in discussing politics with men in groceries, taverns or Depots than he could in reading or telling his wife the news whilst she sits mending his stockings and shirts through many a lonely evening, nor thinks he selfish being that he owes any duty to that perishing soul, beyond providing a house to cover her head, food to sustain life and raiment to put on and plenty of wood to [burn?].

[26] As to her little world within she finds not much comfort there. Her wishes should she have any must be in subjection to those of her tyrant-her will must be in perfect subordination, the comfort of the wife, children, servants one and all must be given up wholly disregarded until the great head of the house be first attended to. No matter what the case may be he must have his hot dinner. If wife or children are sick-they must look elsewhere for care, he cannot be disturbed at night, it does not agree with him to have his slumbers broken it gives him the headache-renders him unfit for business and worse than all her very soul is tortured every day and hour by his harsh and cruel treatment of her children. What mother cannot bear me witness to anguish of this sort? Oh! women how sadly you have learned your duty to your children, to your own heart, to the God that gave you that holy love for them when you stand silent witnesses to the cruel infliction of blows and strips from angry Fathers on the trembling forms of helpless infancy- It is a mothers sacred duty to shield her children from violence from whatever source it may come, it is her duty to resist oppression wherever she may find it at home or abroad, by every moral power within her reach. Many men who are well known for their philanthropy, who hate oppression on a southern plantation, can play the tyrant right well at home. It is a much easier matter to denounce all the crying sins of the day most eloquently too, than to endure for one hour the peevish moanings of a sick child. To know whether a man is truly great and good, you must not judge by his appearance in the great world, but follow him to his home-where all restraints are laid aside-there we see the true man his virtues and his vices too.

[27] On the other hand we find the so called Hen-pecked Husband, oftimes a kind generous noble minded man who hates contention and is willing to do anything for peace. He having unwarily caught a Tarter tries to make the best of her. He can think his own thoughts and tell them too when he feels quite sure that she is not at hand, he can absent himself from home as much as possible, but he does not feel like a free man. The detail of his sufferings I can neither describe nor imagine never having been the confident of one of these unfortunate beings. Now in such households as these there may be no open ruptures-they may seemingly glide on without a ripple upon the surface-the aggrieved may have patiently resigned themselves to suffer all things with christian fortitude-with stern philosophy-but can there be harmony or happiness there? oh! no far from it. The only happy households we now see are those in which Husband and wife share equally in counsel and government. There can be no true dignity or independence where there is subordination, no happiness without freedom.

[28] Is it not strange that man is so slow to admit the intellectual power the moral heroism of woman. How can he with the page of history spread out before him doubt her identity with himself. That there have been comparatively a greater proportion of good queens than of good kings is a fact stated by several historians. “Zenobia the celebrated queen of the East, is not exceeded by any king on record, for talent, courage, and daring ambition. The Emperor Aurelian while besieging her beautiful city of Palms, writes thus: The Roman people speak with contempt of the war I am waging with a woman. They are ignorant both of the character and the power of Zenobia.” She was possessed of intellectual attainments very unusual in that age and was a liberal patron of literature and science. No contemporary sovereign is represented as capable of such high pursuits.

[29] Margaret Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, justly called the Semiramis of the north, by her talent energy, firmness and foresight raised herself to a degree of power and grandeur then unequalled in Europe. No monarch has ever rivalled Isabella of Spain in bravery sagacity political wisdom and a proud sense of honour. Yet these characteristics were united with the purest modesty and the warmest feminine affections. Ferdinand, her husband, was her inferior in mind, heart and nobility of character; but as a wife and a mother she seems to have been a more perfect model than of a queen. Her treaty with the queen of Portugal when they met on the frontiers of the two kingdoms is probably the only one of which it could be truly said: “The fair negotiators experienced none of the embarrassments usually incident to such deliberations, growing out of jealousy, distrust and a mutual desire to over reach. They were conducted in perfect good faith and a sincere desire on both sides to establish a cordial reconciliation.” Austria has produced no wiser or better sovereign than Maria Theresa to whose strength of character her nobles paid involuntary homage when they unanimously exclaimed “We will die for our King Maria Theresa.” She too was the most affectionate of wives and most devoted of mothers. “In England it was common to hear the people talk of King Elizabeth and Queen James. Catharine of Russia bears honourable comparison with Peter the Great. The annals of Africa furnish no example of a monarch equal to the brave intelligent and proud hearted Zinga, the negro Queen of Angola. Blanche of Castile evinced great ability in administering the government of France, during the minority of her son, and similar praise is due to Caroline of England, during the absence of her Husband.” What did woman not do what did she not suffer in our revolutionary struggle. In all great national difficulties her heart has always been found to beat in the right place. She has ever been loyal to her country and her tyrants. He has said it and it must be right was the remark of Josephine in her happy days, when her own judgement suggested a change of course from the one marked out to her by Napoleon, but she lived long enough to learn that her tyrant might both do and say much that was not right.

[30] It has happened more than once that in a great crisis of national affairs, woman has been appealed to for her aid. Hannah More one of the great minds of her day, at a time when French revolutionary and atheistical opinions were spreading-was earnestly besought by many eminent men to write something to counteract these destructive influences. Her style was so popular and she had shown so intimate a knowledge of human nature that they hoped much from her influence. Her village politics by Will Chip, written in a few hours showed that she merited the opinion entertained of her power upon all classes of mind. It had as was expected great effect. The tact and intelligence of this woman completely turned the tide of opinion and many say prevented a revolution, whether she did old Englands poor any essential service by thus warding off what must surely come is a question-however she did it and the wise ones of her day gloried in her success. Strange that surrounded by such a galaxy of great minds, that so great a work should have been given with one accord to a woman to do.

[31] Where was the spirit found to sustain that mighty discoverer Christopher Columbus in his dark hours of despair? Isabella of Arragon may be truly said to be the mother of this western world. It was she who continued the constant friend and protector of Columbus during her life, although assailed on all sides yet she steadily and firmly rejected the advice of narrow-minded, timid counsellors and generously bestowed her patronage upon that heroic adventurer. In all those things in which the priests had no interest and consequently did not influence her mind, she was ever the noble woman loving justice-the christian loving mercy. The persecution of the Jews and the establishment of the Inquisition cannot be said to have been countenanced by her, they were the result of priestly impudence. Torquemada the confessor of the Queen did not more fatally mislead her than do the priests of our day mislead us, the cry of heretic was not more potent in her day than that of Infidel in ours. They burned the bodies of all those who differed from them we consign their souls to Hell fire.

[32] The feeling we so often hear expressed of dislike to seeing woman in places of publicity and trust is merely the effect of custom very like that prejudice against colour that has been proved to be so truly American. What man or woman of you has a feeling of disapproval or disgust in reading the history of Joan of Arc. The sympathies of every heart are at once enlisted in the success of that extraordinary girl. Her historian tells us that when all human power seemed unavailing, the French no longer despised the supernatural aid of the damsel of Dom Remy. The last stronghold of the Dauphin Charles was besieged, the discouraged French were about to abandon it when the coming of this simple girl paralyzed the English and inspired the followers of Charles with the utmost courage. Her success was philosophical in accordance with the laws of mind. She had full faith in herself and inspired all those who saw her with the same. Let us cultivate like faith, like enthusiasm and we too shall impress all who see and hear us with the same confidence which we ourselves feel in our final success.

[33] There seems now to be a kind of moral stagnation in our midst. (Philanthropists have pulled every string. War, slavery, drunkeness, licentiousness and gluttony have been dragged naked before the people and all their abominations fully brought to light. Yet with idiotic laugh we hug these monsters to our arms and rush on. Our churches are multiplying on all sides, our Sunday schools and prayer meetings are still kept up, our missionary and tract societies have long laboured and now the labourers begin to faint-they feel they cannot resist this rushing tide of vice, they feel that the battlements of righteousness are weak against the mighty wicked, most are ready to raise the siege. And how shall we account for this state of things? Depend upon it the degradation of woman is the secret of all this woe,-the inactivity of her head and heart. The voice of woman has been silenced, but man cannot fulfill his destiny alone-he cannot redeem his race unaided, there are deep and tender chords of sympathy and love in the breasts of the down fallen the crushed that woman can touch more skillfully than man. The earth has never yet seen a truly great and virtuous nation, for woman has never yet stood the equal with man. (As with nations so with families. It is the wise mother who has the wise son, and it requires but little thought to decide that as long as the women of this nation remain but half developed in mind and body, so long shall we have a succession of men decrepit in body and soul, so long as your women are mere slaves, you may throw your colleges to the wind, there is no material to work upon, it is in vain to look for silver and gold from mines of copper and brass. How seldom now is the Fathers pride gratified, his fond hopes realized in the budding genius of the son-the wife is degraded-made the mere creature of his caprice and now the foolish son is heaviness to his heart. Truly are the sins of the Fathers visited upon the children. God in his wisdom has so linked together the whole human family that any violence done at one end of the chain is felt throughout its length.)

[34] Now is the time, now emphatically, for the women of this country to buckle on the armour that can best resist the weapons of the enemy, ridicule and holy horror. “Voices” were the visitors and advisers of Joan of Arc, “voices” have come to us, oftimes from the depths of sorrow degradation and despair,-they have been too long unheeded. The same religious enthusiasm that nerved her to what she deemed her work now nerves us to ours, her work was prophesied of, ours too is the fulfilling of what has long since been foretold. In the better days your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Her struggle and triumph were alike short, our struggle shall be hard and long but our triumph shall be complete and forever. We do not expect that our path will be strewn with the flowers of popular favour-that our banner which we have flung to the wind will be fanned by the breath of popular applause, no we know that over the nettles of prejudice and bigotry will be our way, that upon our banner will beat the dark stormcloud of opposition from those who have entrenched themselves behind the strong bulwark of might, of force and who have fortified their position by every means holy and unholy, but we steadfastly abide the result. Unmoved we will bear it aloft-undaunted we will unfurl it to the gale,-we know the storm cannot rend from it a shred, that the electric flash will but more clearly show to us the glorious words inscribed upon it, “Equality of rights” and the rolling thunder will be sweet music in our ears, telling us of the light [rest of line torn away] of the purer clearer atmosphere [rest of line torn away]

[35] A new era is dawn[ing upon the world,] when old might to right [must yield the battle blade] to clerkly pen, when the m[illions] now under the iron heel of [the tyrant will assert] their manhood, when woman [yielding to the] voice of the spirit within her will [demand the] recognition of her humanity, when [her soul, grown] too large for her chains, will burst th[e bands] around her set and stand redeemed regenerated and disenthralled.

The slumber is broken and the sleeper has risen The day of the Goth and the Vandal is o’er And old earth feels the tread of freedom once more

While the globe resounds with the tramping of legions who roused from their lethargy are resolved to be free or perish-while old earth reels under the crashing [of] thrones and the destruction of despotisms, hoary with age, while the flashing sunlight that breaks over us [makes] dark so much that men have before revered [and] shows that to be good that had scarcely been dreamed of-while mind is investigating anxiously so much in politics, in science, in morals, while even the Indian rejoices in the bright light and throws from him his chieftainship shall we the women of this age be content to remain inactive and to move in but a narrow and circumscribed sphere, [a] sphere which man shall assign us? Shall we forget that God has given [us the same powers and faculties] that he has conferred [on him-the same desires,] the same hopes-the same trust in immortality-that the same voice called us into being, that the same spark which kindled us into life is from the Divine and ever burning Fire-that we are responsible to Him alone for the right cultivation and employment of our minds and hearts and that it is not for man to say “Thus far shalt thou go and no far[ther].” Poor fallible man [rest of line torn away] up to him a [rest of line torn away] before him-as [word torn away]juror? while the spirit within constantly whispers, Fools! will ye look to that that cannot satisfy you. Will you waste your time and strength on lowering buckets into empty wells. Will you reverence that, that is of like nature with yourselves?

Then fear not thou to wind thy horn, Though elf and gnome thy courage scorn.

Ask for the castles King and Queen, Though rabble rout may rush between, Beat thee senseless to the ground, In the dark beset thee round, Persist to ask and it will come, Seek not for rest in humbler home So shalt thou see what few have seen The palace home of King and Queen.

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Hillary Clinton “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” Speech at 1995 Women’s Conference Beijing Transcript

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton gave a speech at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women on September 5, 1995 in Beijing, China. Read the full transcript of her speech remarks here.

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Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 00:20 ) Thank you very much, Gertrude Mongella, for your dedicated work that has brought us to this point. Distinguished delegates and guests, I would like to thank the Secretary General for inviting me to be part of this important United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. This is truly a celebration, a celebration of the contributions women make in every aspect of life, in the home, on the job, in the community, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, learners, workers, citizens, and leaders. It is also a coming together much the way women come together every day in every country. We come together in fields and factories, in village markets and supermarkets, in living rooms and board rooms, whether it is while playing with our children in the park, or washing clothes in a river, or taking a break at the office water cooler, we come together and talk about our aspirations and concerns.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 01:41 ) Time and again our talk turns to our children and our families. However different we may appear, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share a common future and we are here to find common ground so that we may help bring new dignity and respect to women and girls all over the world, and in so doing bring new strength and stability to families as well. By gathering in Beijing we are focusing world attention on issues that matter most in our lives, the lives of women and their families, access to education, healthcare, jobs, and credit, the chance to enjoy basic legal and human rights, and to participate fully in the political life of our countries.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 02:42 ) There are some who question the reason for this conference. Let them listen to the voices of women in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. There are some who wonder whether the lives of women and girls matter to economic and political progress around the globe. Let them look at the women gathered here and at Huairou, the homemakers and nurses, the teachers and lawyers, the policymakers, and women who run their own businesses. It is conferences like this that compel governments and peoples everywhere to listen, look, and face the world’s most pressing problems. Wasn’t it, after all, after the women’s conference in Nairobi 10 years ago that the world focused for the first time on the crisis of domestic violence?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 03:39 ) Earlier today I participated in a World Health Organization forum. In that forum we talked about ways that government officials, NGOs, and individual citizens are working to address the health problems of women and girls. Tomorrow I will attend a gathering of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. There the discussion will focus on local and highly successful programs that give hard-working women access to credit so they can improve their own lives and the lives of their families. What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. That is why every woman, every man, every child, every family, and every nation on this planet, does have a stake in the discussion that takes place here.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 04:56 ) Over the past 25 years I have worked persistently on issues relating to women, children, and families. Over the past two and a half years I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing women in my own country and around the world. I have met new mothers in Indonesia who come together regularly in their village to discuss nutrition, family planning, and baby care. I have met working parents in Denmark who talk about the comfort they feel in knowing that their children can be cared for in safe and nurturing afterschool centers.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 05:33 ) I have met women in South Africa who helped lead the struggle to end apartheid and are now helping to build a new democracy. I have met with the leading women of my own hemisphere, who are working every day to promote literacy and better healthcare for children in their countries. I have met women in India and Bangladesh who are taking out small loans to buy milk cows, or rickshaws, or thread, in order to create a livelihood for themselves and their families. I have met the doctors and nurses in Belarus and Ukraine who are trying to keep children alive in the aftermath of Chernobyl.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 06:14 ) The great challenge of this conference is to give voice to women everywhere whose experiences go unnoticed, whose words go unheard. Women comprise more than half the world’s population, 70% of the world’s poor, and two thirds of those who are not taught to read and write. We are the primary caretakers for most of the world’s children and elderly, yet much of the work we do is not valued. Not by economists, not by historians, not by popular culture, not by government leaders. At this very moment as we sit here, women around the world are giving birth, raising children, cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning houses, planting crops, working on assembly lines, running companies, and running countries.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 07:09 ) Women also are dying from diseases that should have been prevented or treated. They are watching their children succumb to malnutrition caused by poverty and economic deprivation. They are being denied the right to go to school by their own fathers and brothers. They are being forced into prostitution, and they are being barred from the bank lending offices, and banned from the ballot box. Those of us who have the opportunity to be here, have the responsibility to speak for those who could not. As an American, I want to speak for women in my own country. Women who are raising children on the minimum wage, women who can’t afford healthcare or childcare, women whose lives are threatened by violence, including violence in their own homes.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 07:59 ) I want to speak up for mothers who are fighting for good schools, safe neighborhoods, clean air, and clean airwaves. For older women, some of them widows, who find that after raising their families their skills and life experiences are not valued in the marketplace. For women who are working all night as nurses, hotel clerks, or fast-food chefs, so that they can be at home during the day with their children. And for women everywhere who simply don’t have time to do everything they are called upon to do each and every day. Speaking to you today I speak for them just as each of us speaks for women around the world who are denied the chance to go to school or see a doctor or own property, or have a say about the direction of their lives, simply because they are women.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 08:57 ) The truth is that most women around the world work both inside and outside the home, usually by necessity. We need to understand there is no one formula for how women should lead our lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her own God-given potential. But we must recognize that women will never gain full dignity until their human rights are respected and protected. Our goals for this conference to strengthen families and societies by empowering women to take greater control over their own destinies cannot be fully achieved unless all governments, here and around the world, accept their responsibility to protect and promote internationally recognized human rights.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 10:00 ) The international community has long acknowledged, and recently reaffirmed at Vienna, that both women and men are entitled to a range of protections and personal freedoms, from the right of personal security, to the right to determine freely the number and spacing of the children they bear. No one should be forced to remain silent for fear of religious or political persecution, arrest, abuse, or torture. Tragically, women are most often the ones whose human rights are violated. Even now in the late 20th century the rape of women continues to be used as an instrument of armed conflict. Women and children make up a large majority of the world’s refugees, and when women are excluded from the political process they become even more vulnerable to abuse.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 11:20 ) I believe that now on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break the silence. It is time for us to say here in Beijing and for the world to hear that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights as separate from human rights. These abuses have continued because for too long the history of women has been a history of silence. Even today there are those who are trying to silence our words. But the voices of this conference and of the women at Huairou must be heard loudly and clearly. It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls. It is a violation of human rights when women and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution for human greed, and the kinds of reasons that are used to justify this practice should no longer be tolerated.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 13:01 ) It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire, and burned to death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small. It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities, and when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war. It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide among women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes by their own relatives. It is a violation of human rights. When young girls are brutalized by the painful and degrading practice of genital mutilation. It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families, and that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 14:46 ) If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all. And among those rights are the right to speak freely and the right to be heard. Women must enjoy the right to participate fully in the social and political lives of their countries if we want freedom and democracy to thrive and endure. It is indefensible that many women in nongovernmental organizations who wish to participate in this conference have not been able to attend or have been prohibited from fully taking part. Let me be clear, freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize, and debate openly. It means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments. It means not taking citizens away from their loved ones and jailing them, mistreating them, or denying them their freedom or dignity because of the peaceful expression of their ideas and opinions.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 16:23 ) In my country we recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of women’s suffrage. It took 150 years after the signing of our Declaration of Independence for women to win the right to vote. It took 72 years of organized struggle before that happened on the part of many courageous women and men. It was one of America’s most divisive philosophical wars, but it was a bloodless war. Suffrage was achieved without a shot being fired. But we have also been reminded in V-J Day observances last weekend of the good that comes when men and women join together to combat the forces of tyranny and to build a better world. We have seen peace prevail in most places for a half century. We have avoided another world war. But we have not solved older, deeply rooted problems that continue to diminish the potential of half the world’s population.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 17:35 ) Now it is the time to act on behalf of women everywhere. If we take bold steps to better the lives of women, we will be taking bold steps to better the lives of children and families too. Families rely on mothers and wives for emotional support and care. Families rely on women for labor in the home. And increasingly everywhere, families rely on women for income needed to raise healthy children and care for other relatives. As long as discrimination and inequities remain so commonplace everywhere in the world, as long as girls and women are valued less, fed less, fed last, overworked, underpaid, not schooled, subjected to violence in and outside their homes, the potential of the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be realized.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: ( 18:41 ) Let this conference be our, and the world’s, call to action. Let us heed that call so we can create a world in which every woman is treated with respect and dignity, every boy and girl is loved and cared for equally, and every family has the hope of a strong and stable future. That is the work before you. That is the work before all of us who have a vision of the world we want to see for our children and our grandchildren. The time is now. We must move beyond rhetoric. We must move beyond recognition of problems to working together to have the common efforts to build that common ground we hope to see. God’s blessings on you, your work, and all who will benefit from it. Godspeed, and thank you very much.

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Anitta Reflects on Dreaming Big in Brazil and Breaking the ‘Rules’ of Being a Woman: ‘I Wanted to Shake My Ass. I Wanted to Be Free’

Anitta reflected on growing up in the Brazilian favelas and breaking the “rules” to achieve her dreams at Variety’s Power of Women Presented by Lifetime event on Thursday, held at New York’s Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

The Brazilian superstar accepted her award from Bruna Marquezine, who celebrated Anitta’s “authenticity and fiery passion for music.”

In her speech, Anitta reflected on dreaming big while growing up in the favelas, where she said the people are “treated as the trash” of Brazil.

“We are born believing these things are not possible for us, because we don’t have it. There’s no structure. There’s no opportunities,” Anitta said in her speech. “Being born and raised in the ghetto of this country … we don’t have the tools that we should have to be everywhere that we dream about.”

Anitta is representing the charity CUFA (Central Única das Favelas), which is based in Anitta’s hometown in Rio De Janeiro. CUFA aims to promote a more just and poverty-free society by providing impoverished residents with non-profit educational programs and government-assisted aid.

CUFA’s programs range from teaching computer and technical skills to teenagers, while others provide cultural activities – from participation across internationally recognized sports leagues and music workshops – to all ages. Much of the music seminars and programs focus on the funk and hip-hop culture that inspired Anitta’s latest LP, “Funk Generation.”

Elsewhere in her speech, Anitta talked about breaking the “rules” she was taught growing up as a woman in Brazil.

“There were so many rules. So many rules on how to be a woman, how to behave, how to find the best husband, how to look good for the audience, to be the cute girl everybody wants to marry,” Anitta said. “And I was just not this person. I wanted to shake my ass, I wanted to be free, I wanted to make my own money.”

In her Variety cover story , Anitta opened up about her career reset, which led her to recording the Brazilian funk-imbued “Funk Generation.” The album, released April 26, includes features from Sam Smith, Bad Gyal and more, and comes after Anitta overcame a series of health issues.

“Now I appreciate death so much,” Anitta told Variety . “I thought I was going to die. And if I did, I wanted to be sure I left behind a body of work that I felt truly represented me and the sounds I love. I’d already had the hits; I already did it by the numbers. Death, and the fact that we don’t know what tomorrow holds, make me feel the most alive. Now I want to try something that makes me feel like an artist again.”

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Politics | NYCLU asks court to suspend Nassau County’s…

Politics | NYCLU asks court to suspend Nassau County’s trans sports ban

FILE - Pro-trans protesters are pictured at the Stonewall Inn on February 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The civil liberties group made its case in a court more than 10 weeks after Nassau County issued the ban , which forbids transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity at about 100 county-run facilities.

The NYCLU has asked a Nassau County Supreme Court justice, Francis Ricigliano , to issue an order freezing the ban as litigation plays out.

In March, the civil liberties organization sued Nassau County, arguing that the ban violates state law. The NYCLU filed the complaint on behalf of a Nassau County women’s roller derby league.

The lawsuit said the league, the Long Island Roller Rebels, has at least one member who could be barred from playing under the ban. The complaint said the ban was issued against a “backdrop of clear statutory protections, regulations and guidance” preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity in publicly operated athletic facilities.

The Nassau County Supreme Court. (Google)

The lawsuit cited a 2019 state law, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which prohibits “discrimination based on gender identity or expression” in public spaces.

The Democratic state lawmaker who wrote the 2019 law, Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal of Manhattan , has sided with the NYCLU.

“It’s very clear,” he said by phone Tuesday. “You can’t discriminate against New Yorkers — whether they be adults or children — based on their gender identity or expression.”

Nassau County, which tried unsuccessfully to move the case to federal court, has asked the state court to dismiss the complaint. The county has argued in court documents that the ban is supported by the protections for women enshrined in the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment.

In recent decades, federal courts have sometimes applied the clause — with limited sweep — to questions of gender discrimination. The 14th Amendment, a broadly written Reconstruction era amendment aimed at preventing racial discrimination, dictates that no state shall “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman , a Republican, has said he issued his ban to prevent transgender women and girls from gaining an unfair competitive advantage in sports. He has struggled to cite an example of such an issue surfacing in his county, but has presented the ban as a preventative measure.

He has said the county wanted to “get ahead of the curve.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman holds a rally in support of Daniel Penny in front of the Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday.

In an April court filing , Nassau County suggested that federal protections should be applied to “biological” women in sports, and that those protections should supersede competing protections for transgender women in state laws.

“To the extent that these sections of New York State law unfairly and unequally afford opportunities to compete and excel to transgender females while discriminating against and denying identical opportunities to physiologically different biological woman,” the complaint said, “they are in irreconcilable conflict with the Equal Protection Clause of the federal constitution.”

Gabriella Larios, an NYCLU lawyer leading the lawsuit, said in an interview Tuesday that the argument is not one “that other courts around the country have bought” and that a federal court had determined in a separate case that the county had failed to prove that quashing the ban would violate the Equal Protection Clause.

In the federal case, Nassau County sued the state attorney general, Letitia James, in a bid to prevent her from bringing a lawsuit over the ban.

A federal judge dismissed the case last month. The judge, Nusrat Choudhury, wrote that the county’s claims based on the equal protection rights of women and girls were “unpersuasive.”

James, a Democrat , has not sued Nassau County. But she has panned the ban as “transphobic and blatantly illegal.”

In recent years, Republicans have pursued transgender bans in athletics, presenting them as efforts to preserve fairness in competition. Democrats say the measures are cruel and potentially dangerous to transgender youth, who report alarmingly high rates of depression.

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Saudi court ‘secretly’ hands 11-year sentence to women's rights activist

A Saudi court has recently sentenced women's rights activist Manahel al-Otaibi to 11 years in prison in a "secret hearing", according to two human rights groups who denounced the ruling as contradictory to the kingdom’s “narrative of reform and women’s empowerment”.

Issued on: 03/05/2024 - 18:03

Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has carefully crafted an image of an open, transformed and glamorous society where women can now drive, female dress codes have been relaxed and the government has invested hugely in sports and entertainment.

But over the last two years the government has convicted and sentenced dozens of people for expressing their views against the authorities online, according to a statement published Tuesday by human rights groups.

In the statement, Amnesty International and ALQST, a London-based Saudi rights organisation, called for the immediate and unconditional release of Manahel al-Otaibi, a 29-year-old fitness instructor and women’s rights activist who was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Saudi court on January 9.

The court's decision only emerged publicly in Saudi Arabia's formal reply to a request from the United Nations human rights office about Otaibi's case, Amnesty said in a statement on Tuesday.

The document, dated January 24 and seen by AFP on Tuesday, indicated that Otaibi "was convicted of terrorist offences that have no bearing on her exercise of freedom of opinion and expression or her social media posts".

Social media posts

Despite unrelated charges, Otaibi was found guilty of “terrorist offences” by Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court (SCC), the NGOs said.

The SCC was established in 2008 to handle terrorism-related cases but has been widely used to try political dissidents and human rights activists .

🚨 Saudi activist Manahel al-Otaibi has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. As seen in this interview, she believed she could express her views and wear what she liked on the basis of the Crown Prince's declarations, but has been sentenced for exercising these exact freedoms. pic.twitter.com/ahCkbk35lI — ALQST for Human Rights (@ALQST_En) April 30, 2024

Otaibi was arrested in November 2022 after publishing social media posts calling for an end to her country's male guardianship laws and requirements for women to wear the traditional body-covering abaya.

According to Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, Otaibi has violated the kingdom’s counter-terrorism law which criminalises “any person who creates, launches, or uses a website or a program on a computer or on an electronic device … or to publish information on the manufacture of incendiary devices, explosives, or any other devices used in terrorist crimes“, as well as “any person who, by any means, broadcasts or publishes news, statements, false or malicious rumours, or the like for committing a terrorist crime”.

“Manahel’s conviction and 11-year sentence is an appalling and cruel injustice,” said Bissan Fakih, Amnesty’s campaigner on Saudi Arabia.

Otaibi’s family only learned of her 11-year sentence through the Saudi government's formal reply to a UN request for information about her case.

Otaibi’s older sister Foz al-Otaibi told AFP that she was shocked by the news, adding that her sister "did not do anything that deserved to be imprisoned for up to 11 years".

I knew yesterday that the Saudi government has sentenced my sister Manahil Al-Otaibi to terrorism charges and 11 years in prison due to her tweets about the feminist movement and women's rights. I am saddened, my friends. Can you believe that they have imprisoned her, tortured… pic.twitter.com/w5ljg9ukAH — فوز العتيبي (@ahxmousa) May 1, 2024

In a video posted on X on Wednesday, Foz appealed to fans of Saudi-funded football clubs to call for her sister’s release.

Foz, who has 2.5 million followers on the social media app Snapchat, faced similar charges but fled Saudi Arabia after being summoned for questioning in 2022.

Abuse in prison

Following her arrest, Otaibi was subjected to physical and psychological abuse in Riyadh’s Malaz Prison, Amnesty and ALQST said.

“Since the moment she was arrested, Saudi Arabia’s authorities have subjected her to a relentless catalogue of abuses, from unlawful detention for supporting women’s rights to enforced disappearance for over five months while she was being secretly interrogated, tried and sentenced and subjected to repeated beatings by others in the prison,” Fakih said.

Contact between Otaibi and her family was cut off between November 2023 and April 2024.

When Otaibi was finally allowed to contact her family again on April 14, she told them she was being held in solitary confinement and had a broken leg as a result of physical abuse.

Otaibi also said she was denied healthcare.

“Saudi authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Manahel al-Otaibi and all those currently detained in the kingdom for the peaceful exercise of their human rights. Pending al-Otaibi’s release, the authorities must ensure her safety and access to adequate healthcare,” said Lina Alhathloul, ALQST’s Head of Monitoring and Advocacy.

Zero-tolerance policy

Saudia Arabia’s sentencing of Otaibi “directly contradicts the authorities’ narrative of reform and women’s empowerment", the NGOs said.

“With this sentence the Saudi authorities have exposed the hollowness of their much-touted women’s rights reforms in recent years and demonstrated their chilling commitment to silencing peaceful dissent,” Fakih said.

"What's at stake is freedom of political expression,” said Arnaud Lacheret, professor of political science at Skema Business School and author of "La femme est l'avenir du Golfe" ("Women are the future of the Gulf").

“Problems arise as soon as there is the slightest criticism of the regime,” he said.

Read more Messi scandal spotlights Saudi ambitions to turn desert kingdom into tourist Mecca

While Saudi Arabia has lifted several restrictions imposed on women in recent years such as the ban on driving and the abaya dress code, human rights activists say that the country still discriminates against women.

The Personal Status Law, which came into force in 2022, continues to restrict women’s rights in the kingdom by enshrining the male guardianship system, activists say.

Despite the Saudi government touting the law as “comprehensive” and “ progressive ”, it contains discriminatory provisions against women concerning marriage, divorce, and decisions about their children, Human Rights Watch said in a March report .

“It is time that Saudi authorities amended the discriminatory provisions in the Personal Status Law and abolished the male guardianship system in its entirety,” Fakih said.

Otaibi’s sentencing came amid an intensified crackdown on free speech in Saudi Arabia, Amnesty and ALQST said, highlighting the lengthy prison terms handed to several women including Salma al-Shehab , 27, Fatima al-Shawarbi, 30, Sukaynah al-Aithan, 40, and Nourah al-Qahtani, 45.

Three years ago today, #Saudi authorities arrested #Salma_al_Shehab , a PhD student and mother of two. She was sentenced to 27 years in prison and a 27-year travel ban for publishing tweets in support of women’s rights. She must be immediately released. pic.twitter.com/Yn6pydMq1N — Amnesty MENA (@AmnestyMENA) January 15, 2024

Shehab, a PhD student and mother of two, was arrested in 2021 during a visit to Saudi Arabia from the UK and is currently serving a 27-year sentence for social media posts critical of the government.

“Saudi authorities have adopted a zero-tolerance policy for any criticism, no matter how innocuous. They have shuttered all human rights groups, wiping out any form of independent civil society in the kingdom,” Amnesty said in a petition against repression.

Mohammed al-Ghamdi, a government critic who denounced alleged corruption and human rights abuses on social media, was arrested in June 2022 and sentenced to death last year. He had just 10 followers on X, formerly Twitter, as well as on YouTube.

According to Amnesty International, as of January 31, 2024, at least 69 people were “being prosecuted for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, including human rights defenders, peaceful political activists, journalists, poets and religious dignitaries”.

This article has been translated from the original in French .

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Sexual and reproductive health rights at the heart of gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment beyond 2015: Lakshmi Puri

Date: Thursday, 24 October 2013

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Good morning to you all,

Serge (Rabier), thank you for this introduction. I would like to thank you, as well as the whole EuroNGOs steering committee for inviting me to represent UN Women at this important conference.

Dr. Babatunde, it is always inspiring to hear your speak. I am pleased to join you here today – one more proof of the close partnership that UNFPA and UN Women enjoy as “sisters-in-arms” in the UN System.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I come here today with warm greetings from our new Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. As you know, she does not only bring to her new position a distinguished political career – having been the Deputy President of South Africa, among other official positions – she is also known as a staunch advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights. You can count on her and on UN Women to work hand-in-hand with all of you and with UNFPA in pushing this agenda forward.

A defining moment This conference takes place at a strategic moment. The weeks and months ahead will be crucial for the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda. More than ever, we need to come together as a community of advocates to ensure that gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment are central to the new framework.

There have been many affirmations of the centrality of gender equality and women’s empowerment to sustainable development. The Rio+20 outcome document, the report of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons, the UNDG report “A Million Voices”, among others, have all emphasized the importance of a strong focus on gender equality.

We are encouraged by these affirmations. But as the discussion moves into the intergovernmental arena, we need these many voices of support to be heard loud and clear by governments around the world. UN Women has been, and will continue to be, fully engaged in these processes.

Stand-alone gender equality goal We are calling for a stand-alone gender equality goal and mainstreaming of gender perspectives in all other goals. The stand-alone goal needs to address the structural causes of discrimination and should tackle three core areas.

First, violence against women and girls must stop. Targets and indicators must address prevention, protection, prosecution and provision of services, but should also aim to change perceptions, attitudes and behaviours that condone and justify violence against women and girls.

Second, women and girls must have equal access to resources and opportunities. The skewed distribution of capabilities needs to be addressed with urgency to build women’s economic and social security. This must include efforts to promote decent work, reduce women’s time burdens, and provide access to health and education, energy, water and sanitation, as well as control over land and productive assets.

The third area we propose should encompass voice, leadership and participation. It should go beyond women’s participation in national parliaments to include participation in public institutions at local and regional levels. Promoting equal decision-making in households and women’s leadership in the private sector are equally important, as well as women’s opportunities to engage in collective action.

Our proposed gender equality goal is grounded in existing government commitments. The targets and indicators we propose are in line with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, CEDAW, as well as the Beijing Platform for Action and of course the ICPD Programme of Action. We have also reflected recent gains, such as elements of the agreed conclusions of this year’s session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

SRHR and the gender equality goal Ensuring sexual and reproductive health and realizing reproductive rights is an integral part of these guiding documents and, therefore, of our proposed stand-alone goal. As we know, there is an inextricable link between sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality and women’s empowerment.

This is clearly stated in CEDAW, which devotes major attention to reproductive rights. The link between discrimination and women's reproductive role is recurrent in the Convention. It also affirms women's right to reproductive choice. This has been reaffirmed in ICPD as well as in Beijing which also states women’s right to “decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality […] free of coercion, discrimination and violence”.

There is no doubt that the post-2015 development framework must recognize that the lack of control that women and girls have over their own bodies and sexualities is an egregious violation of their rights. It also accounts for some of the biggest constraints to achieving their rights and capabilities in other areas.

Sexual and reproductive health is one of the most transformative elements for the achievement of sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social and environmental. It has been included as an element of the High-Level Panel report.

Indeed, family planning has been a game-changer in the history of women’s empowerment. Reproductive choices in the private sphere have enabled women to play a greater productive role in the public sphere.

Yet today, sexual and reproductive health still eludes too many women and girls. Every day, 800 women die from causes related to childbirth and pregnancy. More than 200 million women want—but lack access to—effective contraception. From Niger to Afghanistan, from Bangladesh to Tajikistan, girls continue to be forced to marry against their will – a clear violation of their reproductive rights and a devastating form of violence.

Accessibility, affordability, sustainability, quality, accountability, and availability of sexual and reproductive health throughout the life cycle without discrimination continue to be major issues. In addition, harmful traditional practices and the misinterpretation and misuse of traditions, customs and religion continue to hold back progress.

Lack of access to sexual and reproductive health contributes to gender inequalities, to discrimination, to violence and to disempowerment.

Many factors affect sexual and reproductive health outcomes—from women’s level of education to women’s participation in the labour market and in parliament. We need to address and promote them simultaneously.

Yes, we need to strengthen health systems. We need comprehensive sexuality education. We need gender-responsive and rights-based healthcare. But we also need to improve the legal and justice system, the education system, the political system, and the labour market and financial system to deliver for women and girls. This also entails re-thinking macroeconomic and social protection policies for women throughout the life cycle to take into account their reproductive role and the unequal and unpaid care burden disproportionately borne by women and girls.

Key processes ahead To push this agenda forward, we need a systematic and coordinated effort from all of us. I see three key interlinked processes that we must influence and leverage.

First, intergovernmental processes to define the post-2015 development agenda are already underway. The Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals has been meeting and UN Women is part of the UN Task Team providing technical support to the Group. As the Group prepares to discuss gender equality in February, we must step up our engagement and advocacy for our stand-alone goal. We must also prepare for other intergovernmental processes that will unfold in the months to come.

Second, the next session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2014 will examine “challenges and achievements in the implementation of the MDGs for women and girls.” This will be a critical opportunity to look both backward and forward – at achievements and gaps of the MDGs and also at how these gaps can be addressed in a new framework.

Third, 2015 will not only mark the deadline for the achievement of the MDGs and the start of our new development agenda. It will also mark the 20-year anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action. Twenty years after its adoption, the normative force of the Platform for Action remains a highly relevant blueprint for the achievement of gender equality.

Beijing+20 will involve political, social, substantive and resource mobilization, as well as generation of a new momentum and commitment from the national and regional to the global level.

Comprehensive national-level reviews will feed into regional reviews in 2014. The process will culminate in March 2015, when the Commission on the Status of Women will undertake its review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform. This review will examine current challenges that affect implementation and address opportunities for strengthening gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda.

UN Women will be playing a key role in coordinating Beijing+20 and in mobilizing governments, civil society, the United Nations system, the private sector, and other stakeholders. We intend to give strong visibility to Beijing+20 through a dynamic, forward-looking and engaging process.

We will put gender equality and women’s empowerment at the top of the global agenda. Starting at CSW in 2014, we will focus every month on a specific critical area of concern of the Platform. We will bring together governments, civil society and other partners to recapture the “spirit of Beijing”.

The interlinked processes of Beijing+20 and the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position gender equality and women’s empowerment both as an important end in itself and as essential for the achievement of sustainable development. The alignment between these two processes is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

Role of civil society As civil society, you play an essential role in participating and influencing these processes. Civil society and women's groups have made important recommendations towards the articulation of a new development framework. They echo calls for a set of goals that address all dimensions of sustainable development while prioritizing gender equality and human rights.

Civil society is arguing for a rebalancing of power relations; for the fulfilment of human rights; for overcoming exclusion; for ensuring equitable distribution and safe use of natural resources; and establishing participatory governance, accountability and transparency. The important issue going forward will be to create opportunities and spaces through which civil society will be able to advocate, lobby and influence the negotiations in support of their aspirations. You will need to do this with your governments and networks. And of course, UN Women will work with you to create these spaces of dialogue, discussion and influence-building.

We will be engaging through a number of mechanisms, including our Civil Society Advisory Groups at country, regional and global levels. We are already working with the Women’s Major Group and with other networks and forums to create spaces of discussions and of productive dialogue.

Conclusion My friends,

Today, I would like to pay tribute to all of you – leaders, activists, advocates, practitioners – for your unwavering commitment to this agenda. And I would like to call on you to continue to pursue our joint path towards the achievement of gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment.

Let us be bold as we go forward together.

Let us envision a world where peace and human rights are the norm for women and girls, not the exception.

Let us envision a world where every woman and every girl has equal rights and opportunities.

Let us envision a world where women and girls all have access to sexual and reproductive health.

Let us envision a world where reproductive rights are protected, realized and guaranteed – and where women and girls have the means and autonomy to fully exercise those rights without fear of coercion, violence or harm.

This is the world we want for women and girls. This is the world we want for all.

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A Saudi court has recently sentenced women's rights activist Manahel al-Otaibi to 11 years in prison in a "secret hearing", according to two human rights groups who denounced the ruling as ...
Lakshmi Puri speech on sexual and reproductive health rights
Sexual and reproductive health rights at the heart of gender equality, women's rights and women's empowerment beyond 2015: Lakshmi Puri. Opening remarks by Lakshmi Puri, UN Women Deputy Executive Director, at the 2013 EuroNGOs conference on "Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Post-2015 Agenda," on 24 October 2013 in Berlin ...