In the near past, women were considered inferior to men. They were debarred from taking part in social life. Their sphere of activities was limited to domestic work. Upto the 19th century, it was believed that women, were the servants of the homes of their husbands. In those days women were not allowed to take part in political and social life and administration. Rousseau, the French philosopher, who never married, once said: “the dignity of women consists in being unknown to world, here glory is the esteem of her husband; her pleasure the happiness of her family”. But time created new situation and the old outlook underwent a change.
Quite recently, women have come to take more and more prominent part in many spheres of life. In some respects, they have excelled men. In sports, intellectual and artistic pursuits, in office and industry, they have set a new record of honesty and efficiency. They have succeeded marvelously as teacher and nurses. Goldsmith, the famous poet and writer, made a complaint two centuries ago: “women famed for their valour, their skill in politics, or their learning has left the duties of their own sex, in order to invade the privilege of ours”. This is what the women are doing today.
There is practically no field where women are not competing with men. In professions, outdoor life and law, they claim equality with men. In business, trade, industry, in the learned professions, in politics, administration, scientific research, literary and artistic activities, Eve is making herself felt everywhere.
They are police and military officers. They are working as sales girls, as air hostesses and as clerks and steno-typists. They are turning out men from the posts of personal secretaries. As the days pass we have to get more and more used to the idea of seeing women working side by side men riding, driving, flying, and playing even fighting.
