Did Olympe de Gouges simply add the word women to the original declaration, or did she substantially change the meaning of the concept of citizenship in her declaration? Did she speak from the traditions of the Enlightenment, or did she challenge those traditions?

Olympe de Gouges, a French playwright and political activist, did far more than simply add the word "women" to the original Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. In her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791), de Gouges substantially reinterpreted the concept of citizenship to include women. She challenged the original declaration’s gender exclusivity by insisting that women should have the same rights as men under the law and in society.

De Gouges's document reworks each of the articles from the original declaration, proposing a parallel between men and women in each case and advocating for specific rights for women such as the right to divorce, the right to own property, and the right to education. She also extended her argument to include the political realm, demanding that women should have the right to participate in the legislative process, either by voting or by holding office.

While her declaration speaks from the traditions of the Enlightenment, embracing its values of reason, liberty, and equality, Olympe de Gouges also challenged these very traditions by highlighting the inconsistency between Enlightenment principles and the reality of women's lived experiences. She criticized the Enlightenment thinkers and the male leaders of the French Revolution for not applying these ideals of liberty and equality to half the population. Her work reveals the gender biases of these traditions and argues for a more inclusive understanding of citizenship that applies these values to all individuals, regardless of gender.

Extra: The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen is an important historical document and one of the earliest works advocating for gender equality. It shows how Olympe de Gouges used the same foundational Enlightenment ideas that inspired the French Revolution, such as individual rights and social contracts, to highlight the lack of inclusivity for women within these concepts. She perceived the Rights of Man as incomplete without the explicit inclusion of women, and her attempt to rectify this oversight was groundbreaking for its time.

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized reason, logic, and criticism and was marked by an enthusiasm for scientific discovery and the pursuit of knowledge. A core aspect of Enlightenment thought was the idea that human beings could improve their societies through rational change, which influenced revolutionary movements like the American and French Revolutions. However, despite its progressive stance on many issues, the Enlightenment largely overlooked women's rights. Figures like Olympe de Gouges were essential in extending those conversations to include a dialogue about gender equality, essentially expanding and challenging the Enlightenment discourse to match its principles with its practices.