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Accomplish Your Life Goals Through Determination — As Taught By Britain’s First Feminist

The determined Mary Wollstonecraft was the first to write about women’s rights and gender equality in a society where women were deemed weak and irrational.

Tamara Ageeva
8 min readJan 30, 2021
Detail of portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft by John Opie, c. 1790–1791 (Public domain/via Wikimedia)

Mary Wollstonecraft was a remarkable woman who braved the harshest of criticisms for believing that all people, regardless of sex or race, deserved the same rights.

In many ways, she was the first spokesperson for equality during a time when intellectuals preached that women were irrational and weak. Wives, daughters, and sisters had to submit to their husbands, fathers, and brothers. A man could beat his wife and if she chose to leave her abusive husband, would be condemned as an outlaw.

Imagine yourself preaching principles of gender equality in such a climate. It will take a lot of determination.

Mary’s first realization that women faced inexplicable injustices that started at home. Her father squandered their fortune, became an alcoholic, and regularly beat his wife. The law forbade separation and her mother could not leave without facing financial difficulties. Her elder brother inherited their father’s capacity to abuse and was cruel to his sisters…

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Tamara Ageeva
Tamara Ageeva

Written by Tamara Ageeva

I dwell too much on my thoughts, and writing is therapeutic.

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