Lucy Stone Quotes
Whatever the reason, the idea was born that women could and should be educated. It lifted a mountain load from woman. It shattered the idea, everywhere pervasive as the atmosphere, that women were incapable of education, and would be less womanly, less desirable in every way, if they had it.
This was her last public speech.
Lucy Stone, 1818-1893, Founder, National American Woman Suffrage Association, Founder, Women's Journal, Speech to the Congress of Women, The Progress of Fifty Years, World’s Fair, 1893
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At the time and for the next decade she was one of the few world leaders who made women’s equality and rights a major priority. But slowly American and European women and many men began to give higher priority to using foreign policy and foreign aid. Then women from Asia and Africa began to take up the issue and in the early 21st century even some women in the Islamic nations began to fight for women’s rights. Mrs. Roosevelt. However, was the first modern major and high visibility politician to make women’s rights a major international and national issue.
Women were not, in the decisions of Canadian courts “Persons.” As such they were not allowed to serve as public officials and legislators. In 1929 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council reversed previous interpretations and declared women eligible for all public offices. It became known as “The Persons Case.” Murphy then wrote her argument. Murphy wrote serious non-fiction under her own name and novels under the pseudonym Janey Canuck.
The speaking to which she was referring was Christian Religious preaching by women. At the time it was considered by most Christians to be sacrilegious for women to preach. This came down from the orthodox Jewish tradition, and there are several passages in the New Testament where the Apostles, who were Jews themselves were echoing the religious tradition. This then took on a meaning that went beyond tradition as in Judaism. Margaret Fox wrote this essay which was a completely theological defense of a woman’s right – indeed obligation—to preach. Theologically, there are many Christian churches for whom her argument would be too radical—even in modern times. However, in the middle of the 17th century to most male clerics, this was so unfathomable that they did not even deign to refute her theological arguments. Meanwhile, the Quakers began to accept women in theological positions of influence—for ahead of most other Christian and Jewish sects. See {619836} and {619837} for quotations from the essay itself.
Her audiences were all familiar with the Adam & Eve Biblical narration.
First female presidential candidate & first divorcee to run for that office
The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women’s emancipation.
The most important documents and doctrine of most churches were created by men who also established the framework of the religion. The result has in almost all cases been a sexist structure with women having not only little power not typically females are banned from all church governance. See {640303} for her quote on religion in general vis a vis women.
Lucy Stone was a prominent U.S. orator, abolitionist, and suffragist, and a vocal advocate and organizer promoting rights for women. In 1847, Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. She spoke out for women's rights and against slavery. Stone was known for using her birth name after marriage, the custom being for women to take their husband's surname.
