In Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), she discusses the topic of women and work primarily in Chapter 2, titled “The Prevailing Opinion of a Sexual Character.”
In this chapter, Wollstonecraft critiques the way society views women, particularly the expectation that women should prioritize beauty, marriage, and domestic duties over intellectual or professional pursuits. She argues that women, like men, are rational beings capable of contributing to society through work, education, and meaningful roles beyond the confines of the domestic sphere.
While the book as a whole challenges the limitations placed on women, Chapter 2 is where Wollstonecraft directly addresses the need for women to be recognized as capable of engaging in the same intellectual and professional activities as men. She advocates for women to have access to education that will prepare them for a variety of roles in society, including in the workforce.
