The Tragedy of Woman's Emancipation (1906 American Article)

The Tragedy of Woman's Emancipation

By Emma Goldman

Excerpt, altered article from 1906 American book

What has woman achieved through her emancipation? Emancipation has brought woman economic equality with man; that is, she can choose her own profession and trade, but as her past and present physical training have not equipped her with the necessary strength to compete with man, she is often compelled to exhaust all her energy, use up her vitality and strain every nerve in order to reach the market value. Very few ever succeed, for it is a fact that women doctors, lawyers, architects and engineers are neither met with the same confidence, nor do they receive the same remuneration. And those that do reach that enticing equality generally do so at the expense of their physical and psychological well-being.

How much independence is gained if the narrowness and lack of freedom of the home is exchanged for the narrowness and lack of freedom of the workforce?

The narrowness of the existing conception of woman's independence and emancipation is evident in her dread of love for a man who is not her social equal; her fear that love will rob her of her freedom and independence; and her horror that love or the joy of motherhood will only hinder her in the full exercise of her profession.

As long as woman was the “slave” of her husband, she could not be productive, but now that she is “free” and independent she will prove how good she can be and how her influence will have a significant effect on all institutions in society.

For over a hundred years, the old form of marriage based on the Bible has been denounced as an institution that stands for the sovereignty of the man over the woman, of her complete submission to his whims and commands and the absolute dependence upon his name and support. And yet we find many emancipated women who prefer marriage with all its deficiencies to unmarried life;