Long before feminism was a recognised ideology, countless women were already resisting social, political and legal limitations placed upon them. Throughout the centuries, these women challenged expectations and demanded recognition of their rights, even without the language of a formal movement. It was not until the 19th century that thinkers such as Charles Fourier began to contemplate ideas which would later be associated with feminism.
Giving it a Name
In 1837, French philosopher Charles Fourier coined the term ‘feminism.’ But the struggle for women’s freedom did not begin with the creation of this word. Long before feminism became a household name, women across Europe asserted their authority through intellectual discourse, demanded equal education rights, explored independence by writing literature, and challenged the political structures they were forced to abide by. These women were the pioneers who shaped what modern-day feminism would become.
Catherine of Aragon
In the 16th century, few women thought that they could be well-educated and use their knowledge to exercise influence. But some did. One prominent figure who is often overlooked is Tudor England’s Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, who was a lifelong fighter for women’s education. Catherine of Aragon demonstrated remarkable political and intellectual agency, challenging the male-centric environment of 16th-century England long before the term ‘feminism’ came into prominence.
Giles Tremlett in Catherine of Aragon emphasises her training in languages, history, theology and diplomacy from a young age. She also had a sound humanist understanding and was devoted to promoting education in her newfound role as Queen. Scholars such as Erasmus and Thomas More saw her as a willing patron, and in 1523, she commissioned Juan Luis Vives to write The Education of a Christian Woman. The treatise argued that women deserved to be educated because they were just as capable as men and that this practice would benefit the country and society. Catherine’s comprehensive education enabled her to be a meaningful participant in politics, rather than a mere observer, showing that even in the 16th century, a woman with a knowledgeable mind could effectively exercise critical thinking skills in a male-dominated society.
As well as her social work, the Queen spent time ensuring that her daughter, Mary, received an education on a par with any male heir. Her intellectual stance foreshadowed the arguments that would become central to feminist theory centuries later.
Mary Wollstonecraft
The 18th-century moral and political philosopher, Mary Wollstonecraft, is another notable historical female figure. Wollstonecraft maintained that women were just as capable of reason and rationality as men, making her a firm proto-feminist. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, she argued that women were not naturally inferior to men. Rather, they had been denied educational opportunities to develop their rational capacities. Wollstonecraft firmly believed that girls should receive the same schooling as boys to enable them to participate fully in society. Her advocacy for equal access to education and rational development challenged the social norms that confined women to domestic roles. Her passionate work helped lay the intellectual groundwork for later feminist movements. Today, Wollstonecraft’s example demonstrates that the fight for women’s rights never needed a specific name; it just needed an impassioned observer of social injustice.
Christine de Pizan
In the 14th century, women’s roles were almost exclusively confined to societal mores that limited their participation in public life and their representation in literature. The Italian-born French court writer, Christine de Pizan, used literature to defend women and argue for their intellectual and moral capabilities. The Book of the City of Ladies (1405) serves as a foundational text in feminist thought, celebrating women challenging societal norms.
In City of Ladies, Pizan constructs a symbolic city where women are celebrated and protected for their work. Just as Catherine of Aragon and Mary Wollstonecraft would do much later, she was one of the first people to depict women as intellectual equals and confront the misogynistic views of her time. Pizan’s vision of female equality and autonomy still resonates today, while her writing helped form the basis of our understanding of women’s rights. ‘Do not offer good reasons to those who cannot understand them,’ says the goddess Othea in another of Pizan’s works, Letter of Othea. Her masterful storytelling had a unique way of empowering and inspiring generations of readers who saw wisdom and strength in her writing.
Before the term ‘feminism’ was introduced, women demonstrated their strength and intelligence through writing and political discourse, paving the way for equal rights for future generations of women. Figures such as Catherine of Aragon, Mary Wollstonecraft and Christine de Pizan laid the foundations for a movement that did not yet have a name. History often overlooks those who fought for women’s equality before the 19th century, but feminism’s key principles were forged for centuries before it became the powerhouse movement we know today.
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