Woman in the Nineteenth Century

Content Warning: This guide section discusses enslavement.

Fuller advocated for a reimagining of gender roles, asserting that true human potential cannot be achieved until men and women are regarded as equal partners. Fuller challenges the traditional power dynamics between the sexes, arguing that both genders are integral to the realization of a more just and enlightened society. In her view, gender equality is not merely a question of political rights but also a fundamental necessity for the full development of humanity’s potential.

Fuller’s assertion in the Preface—“By Man I mean both man and woman: these are two halves of one thought. […] I believe that the development of one cannot be affected without that of the other” (vi)—is central to her argument. She emphasizes that men and women are interconnected, representing complementary aspects of human experience. For Fuller, both genders must progress together in mutual understanding and respect. This holistic view of human potential highlights her belief that societal growth is stunted when it either suppresses or denies the opportunity for either gender to fully develop. Fuller does not see men and women as inherently different in ability or intellect but rather as equally capable beings whose growth is interdependent.