DeclarationoftheRightsofWoman,1791

WrittenbyOlympeDeGouges,1791

TheRightsofWoman
Man,areyoucapableofbeingjust?Itisawomanwhoposes
thequestion;youwillnotdepriveherofthatrightatleast.Tellme,
whatgivesyousovereignempiretoopressmysex?Yourstrength?
Yourtalents?ObservetheCreatorinhiswisdom;surveyinallher
grandeurthatnaturewithwhomyouseemtowanttobein
harmony,andgiveme,ifyoudare,anexamplofthistyrannical
empire.Gobacktoanimals,consulttheelements,studyplants,
finallyglanceatallthemodificationsoforganicmatter,and
surrendertotheevidencewhenIofferyouthemenas;search,
probe,anddistinguish,ifyoucan,thesexesintheadministration
ofnature.Everywhereyouwillfindthemmingled;everywhere
theycooperateinharmonioustpgethernessinthisimmortal
masterpiece.
Manalonehasraisedhisexceptionalcircumstancestoa
principle.Bizarre,blind,bloatedwithscienceanddegeneratedin
acenturyofenlightenmentandwisdomintothecrassest
ignorance,hewantstocommandasadespotasexwhichisinfull
possessionofitsintellectualfaculties;hepretendstoenjoythe
Revolutionandtoclaimhisrightstoequalityinordertosay
nothingmoreaboutit.

DeclarationoftheRightsofWomanandtheFemale
Citizen

FortheNationalAssembytodecreeinitslastsessions,orinthose
ofthenextlegislature:

Preamble
Mothers,daughters,sisters[and]representativesofthenation
demandtobeconstitutedintoanationalassembly.Believingthat
ignorance,omission,orscornfortherightsofwomanaretheonly
causesofpublicmisfortunesandofthecorruptionofgovernments,
[thewomen]haveresolvedtosetforthasolemndeclarationthe
natural,inalienable,andsacredrightsofwomaninorderthatthis
declaration,constantlyexposedbeforeallmembersofthesociety,
willceaselesslyremindthemoftheirrightsandduties;inorder
thattheauthoritativeactsfwomenandtehathoritativeactsofmen
maybeatanymomentcomparedwithandrespectfulofthe
purposeofallpoliticalinstitutions;andinorderthatcitizens'
demands,henceforthbasedonsimpleandincontestableprinciples,
willalwayssupporttheconstitution,goodmorals,andthe
happinessofall.
Consequently,thesexthatisassuperiorinbeautyasitisin
courageduringthesufferingsofmaternityrecognizesanddeclares
inthepresenceandundertheauspicesoftheSupremeBeing,the
followingRightsofWOmanandofFemaleCitizens.

ArticleI
Womanisbornfreeandlivesequaltomaninherrights.Social

distinctionscanbebasedonlyonthecommonutility.

ArticleII
Thepurposeofanypoliticalassociationistheconservationof
thenaturalandimpresciptiblerightsofwomanandman;these
rightsarelibertyproperty,security,andespeciallyresistanceto
oppression.

ArticleIII
Theprincipleofallsovereigntyrestsessentiallywiththenation,
whichisnothingbuttheunionofwomanandman;nobodyandno
individualcanexerciseanyauthoritywhichdoesnotcome
expresslyfromit(thenation).

ArticleIV
Libertyandjusticeconsistofrestoringallthatbelongsto
others;thus,theonlylimitsontheexerciseofthenaturalrightsof
womanareperpetualmaletyranny;theselimitsaretobereformed
bythelawsofnatureandreason.

ArticleV
Lawsofnatureandreasonproscibeallactsharmfultosociety;
everythingwhichisnotprohibitedbythesewiseanddivinelaws
cannotbeprevented,andnoonecanbeconstrainedtodowhat
theydonotcommand.

ArticleVI

Thelawmustbetheexpressionofthegeneralwill;allfemale
andmalecitizensmustcontributeeitherpersonallyorthroughtheir
representativestoitsformation;itmustbethesameforall:male
andfemalecitizens,beingequalintheeyesofthelaw,mustbe
equallyadmittedtoallhonors,positions,andpublicemployment
accordingtotheircapacityandwithoutotherdistinctionsbesides
thoseoftheirvirtuesandtalents.

ArticleVII
Nowomanisanexception;sheisaccused,arrested,and
detainedincasesdeterminedbylaw.Women,likemen,obeythis
rigorouslaw.

ArticleVIII
Thelawmustestablishonlythosepenaltiesthatarestrictlyand
obviouslynecessary...

ArticleIX
Onceanywomanisdeclaredguilty,completerigorisexercised
bylaw.

ArticleX
Nooneistobedisquietedforhisverybasicopinions;woman
hastherighttomountthescaffold;shemustequallyhavetheright

tomounttherostrum,providedthatherdemonstrationsdonot
disturbthelegallyestablishedpublicorder.

ArticleXI
Thefreecommunicationofthoughtsandopinionsisoneofthe
mostpreciousrightsofwoman,sincethatlibertyassures
recognitionofchildrenbytheirfathers.Anyfemalecitizenthus
maysayfreely,Iamthemotherofachildwhichbelongstoyou,
withoutbeingforcedbyabarbarousprejudicetohidethetruth;(an
exceptionmaybemade)torespondtotheabuseofthislibertyin
casesdeterminedbylaw.

ArticleXII
Thegauranteeoftherightsofwomanandthefemalecitizen
impliesamajorbenefit;thisguaranteemustbeinstitutedforthe
advantageofall,andnotfortheparticularbenefitofthoseto
whomitisentrusted.

ArticleXIII
Forthesupportofthepublicforceandtheexpensesof
administration,thecontributionsofwomanandmanareequal;she
sharesallthedutiesandallthepainfultasks;therefore,whemust
havethesameshareinthedistributionofpositions,employment,
offices,honors,andjobs.

ArticleXIV
Femaleandmalecitizenshavetherighttoverify,eitherby

themselvesofthroughtheirrepresentatives,thenecessityofthe
publiccontribution.Thiscanonlyapplytowomeniftheyare
grantedanequalshare,notonlyofwealth,butalsoofpublic
administration,andinthedeterminationoftheproportion,the
base,thecollection,andthedurationofthetax.

ArticleXV
Thecollectivityofwomen,joinedfortaxpurposestothe
aggregateofmen,hastherighttodemandanaccountingofhis
administrationfromanypublicagent.

ArticleXVI
Nosocietyhasaconstitutionwithouttheguaranteeofrights
andtheseparationofpowers;theconstitutionisnullifthemajority
ofindividualscomprisingthenationhavenotcooperatedin
draftingit.

ArticleXVII
Propertybelongstobothsexeswhetherunitedorseparate;for
eachitisaninviolableandsacredright'noonecanbedeprivedof
it,sinceitisthetruepatrimonyofnatire,unlessthelegally
determinedpublicneedobviouslydictatesit,andthenonlywitha
justandpriorindemnity.

Postscript
Woman,wakeup;thetocsinofreasonisbeingheard
throughoutthewholeuniverse;discoveryourrights.Thepowerful
empireofnatureisnolongersurroundedbyprejudice,fanaticism,
superstition,andlies.Theflameoftruthhasdispersedallthe
cloudsoffollyandusurpation.Enslavedmanhasmultipliedhis
strengthandneedsrecoursetoyourstobreakhischains.Having
becomefree,hehasbecomeunjusttohiscompanion.Oh,women,
women!Whenwillyouceasetobeblind?Whatadvantagehave
youreceivedfromtheRevolution?Amorepronouncedscorn,a
moremarkeddisdain.Inthecenturiesofcorruptionyouruledonly
overtheweaknessofmen.Thereclamationofyourpatrimony,
basedonthewisedecreesofnaturewhathaveyoutodreadfrom
suchafineundertaking?Thebonmotofthelegislatorofthe
marriageofCana?DoyoufearthatourFrenchlegislators,
correctorsofthatmorality,longensnaredbypoliticalpractices
nowoutofdate,willonlysayagaintoyou:women,whatisthere
incommonbetweenyouandus?Everything,youwillhaveto
answer.Iftheypersistintheirweaknessinputtingthisnon
sequiturincontradictiontotheirprinciples,courageouslyoppose
theforceofreasontotheemptypretentionsofsuperiority;unite
yourselvesbeneaththestandardsofphilosophy;deployallthe
energyofyourcharacter,andyouwillsoonseethesehaughtymen,
notgrovelingatyourfeetasservileadorers,butproudtoshare
withyouthetreasuresoftheSupremeBeing.Regardlessofwhat
barriersconfrontyou,itisinyourpowertofreeyourselves;you
haveonlytowantto....
Marriageisthetomboftrustandlove.Themarriedwomancan
withimpunitygivebastardstoherhusband,andalsogivethemthe
wealthwhichdoesnotbelongtothem.Thewomanwhois
unmarriedhasonlyonefeebleright;ancientandinhumanlaws

refusetoherforherchildrentherighttothenameandthewealth
oftheirfather;nonewlawshavebeenmadeinthismatter.Ifitis
consideredaparadoxandanimpossibilityonmyparttotrytogive
mysexanhonorableandjustconsistency,Ileaveittomento
attaingloryfordealingwiththismatter;butwhilewewait,the
waycanbepreparedthroughnationaleducation,therestorationof
morals,andconjugalconventions.

FormforaSocialContractBetweenManand
Woman
We,_____and______,movedbyourownwill,uniteourselves
forthedurationofourlives,andforthedurationofourmutual
inclinations,underthefollowingconditions:Weintendandwishto
makeourwealthcommunal,meanwhilereservingtoourselvesthe
righttodivideitinfavorofourchildrenandofthosetowardwhom
wemighthaveaparticularinclination,mutuallyrecognizingthat
ourpropertybelongsdirectlytoourchildren,fromwhateverbed
theycome,andthatallofthemwithoutdistinctionhavetherightto
bearthenameofthefathersandmotherswhohaveacknowledged
them,andwearechargedtosubscribetothelawwhichpunishes
therenunciationofone'sownblood.Welikewiseobligate
ourselves,incaseofseparation,todivideourwealthandtoset
asideinadvancetheportionthelawindicatesforourchildren,and
intheeventofaperfectunion,theonewhodieswilldivesthimself
ofhalfhispropertyinhischildren'sfavor,andifonedieschildless,
thesurvivorwillinheritbyright,unlessthedyingpersonhas
disposedofhalfthecommonpropertyinfavorofonewhomhe
judgeddeserving.
ThatisapproximatelytheformulaforthemarriageactI
proposeforexecution.Uponreadingthisstrangedocument,Isee

risingupagainstmethehypocrites,theprudes,theclergy,andthe
wholeinfernalsequence.Buthowit[myproposal]offerstothe
wisethemoralmeansofachievingtheperfectionofahappy
government!...
Moreover,Iwouldlikealawwhichwouldassistwidowsand
younggirlsdeceivedbythefalsepromisesofamantowhomthey
wereattached;Iwouldlike,Isay,thislawtoforceaninconstant
mantoholdtohisobligationsoratleast[topay]anindemnity
equaltohiswealth.Again,Iwouldlikethislawtoberigorous
againstwomen,atleastthosewhohavetheeffronterytohave
reCoursetoalawwhichtheythemselveshadviolatedbytheir
misconduct,ifproofofthatweregiven.Atthesametime,asI
showedinLeBonheurprimititdel'homme,in1788,that
prostitutesshouldbeplacedindesignatedquarters.Itisnot
prostituteswhocontributethemosttothedepravityofmorals,itis
thewomenof'society.Inregeneratingthelatter,theformerare
changed.Thislinkoffraternalunionwillfirstbringdisorder,but
inconsequenceitwillproduceattheendaperfectharmony.

Iofferafoolproofwaytoelevatethesoulofwomen;itisto
jointhemtoalltheactivitiesofman;ifmanpersistsinfindingthis
wayimpractical,lethimsharehisfortunewithwoman,notathis
caprice,butbythewisdomoflaws.Prejudicefalls,moralsare
purified,andnatureregainsallherrights.Addtothisthemarriage
ofpriestsandthestrengtheningofthekingonhisthrone,andthe
Frenchgovernmentcannotfail.
FromDarlineGayLevy,HarrietBransonApplewhite,andMary
DurhamJohnson,eds.,WomeninRevolutionaryParis,17891795
(Urbana,UniversityofIllinoisPress,1980),pp.8796.