Feminism has never gotten American women quite right. It has done its best, going through various evolutions and grasping at ideas from abroad. Yet French and Marxist feminists have never captured the American character. The female American mind is animated by both spirited femininity and Americanism. Feminism at various times has misunderstood or rejected one or both of these components.
Early feminists in America fought for consent of the governed, property rights, and equality before the law. Very American indeed. Yet they sometimes missed their target when it came to equality. They resolved that women must secure “an equal participation with men in the various trades, professions, and commerce.” In this context, equality means “sameness,” and the objective is to achieve proportionate outcomes.
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