Declaration of the Rights of Women

Mothers, daughters, sisters, female representatives of the nation ask to be constituted as a national assembly. Considering that ignorance, neglect, or contempt for the rights of woman are the sole causes of public misfortunes and governmental corruption, they have resolved to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred rights of woman:

In consequence, the sex that is superior in beauty as in courage, needed in maternal sufferings, recognizes and declares, in the presence and under the auspices [divine will] of the Supreme Being, the following rights of woman....

1. Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights. Social distinctions may be based only on common utility.

6. The law should be the expression of the general will. All citizenesses [female citizens] and citizens should take part...[and are] equal in its eyes, should be equally admissible to all public dignities, offices and employments, according to their ability, and with no other distinction than that of their virtues and talents.

7. No woman is exempted; she is indicted [accused of wrong-doing], arrested, and detained in the cases determined by the law. Women like men obey this rigorous law.

12. The safeguard of the rights of woman and the citizeness requires public powers. These powers are instituted for the advantage of all and not for the private benefit of those to whom they are entrusted.

13. For maintenance of public authority and for expenses of administration, taxation of women and men is equal; she takes part in all forced labor service, in all painful tasks

17. Property belongs to both sexes whether united or separated