Women, for their part, are always complaining that we raise them only to be vain and coquettish, that we keep them amused with trifles so that we may more easily remain their masters; they blame us for the faults we attribute to them. What stupidity! And since when is it men who concern themselves with the education of girls? Who is preventing the mothers from raising them as they please? There are no schools for girls–what a tragedy! Would God, there were none for boys! They would be raised more sensibly and more straightforwardly. Is anyone forcing your daughters to waste their time on foolish trifles? Are they forced against their will to spend half their lives on their appearance, following your example? Are you prevented from instructing them, or having them instructed according to your wishes? Is it our fault if they please us when they are beautiful, if their airs and graces seduce us, if the art they learn from you attracts and flatters us, if we like to see them tastefully attired, if we let them display at leisure the weapons with which they subjugate us? Well then, decide to raise them like men; the men will gladly agree; the more women want to resemble them, the less women will govern them, and then men will truly be the masters. JeanJacques Rousseau
About This Quote

In this quote, Thomas Jefferson is not arguing that women should be raised to be men. He is arguing that women should be raised to be as independent as possible. In other words, the way to prevent men from dominating women is to raise women up as much as possible. The best way to do this is to make sure that the education of girls is as equal as their education of boys, because it would allow them to be as self-sufficient as they can.

Source: Emile Or On Education

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