Answer :
Enlightenment philosophers expressed various perspectives on the role of women, with some advocating for education and public involvement for women, while others, like Rousseau, relegated them to domestic roles. Prominent female figures of that era were exceptions to the general marginalization of women in the Enlightenment.
Enlightenment philosophers held varied views on the status of women in European society. While some, like John Locke, supported women's increased access to education and public participation, they still maintained that men should hold leadership roles due to their purportedly greater strength and ability.
On the other hand, philosophers such as Rousseau viewed women as naturally weaker and less rational, confining them to the domestic sphere. However, figures like Émilie du Châtelet and Germaine de Staël played vital intellectual roles, although their recognition was the exception rather than the rule. The influence of these disparities is reflected today in how Enlightenment women thinkers are presented in online materials and media compared to their male counterparts, with the former often receiving less focus.
These perspectives highlight that despite the Enlightenment's ideals of liberty and equality, these principles were not applied equally across genders, with women largely remaining sidelined from the political and intellectual revolutions of the time.