9. Thomas Thorild had very progressive views on the place of women in society, shocking his intellectual peers in 18th century Sweden
Not all early feminists were English-language writers and campaigners. Outside of England and the United States, a number of pro-equality voices emerged over the course of the 18th century, including that of the Swedish poet Thomas Thorild. Indeed, in cosmopolitan Stockholm, Thorlid was one of the brightest minds and his progressive – and, one might add, controversial – views on feminism and gender equality made him stand out from the intellectual crowd.
Thorild was a very clever man indeed. After graduating from Lund University’s, Sweden’s finest higher education establishment, he went to Germany to begin his academic career. While the exact dates are unknown, it is known that he returned to his native Sweden when King Gustav III was on the throne, from 1771 until 1792. It was then that his started to really make a name for himself in the salons and debating halls of Stockholm. Above all, his argument that women should enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities as men shocked many. They also made him many admirers, however, including among the ladies of high society (though, of course, his dashing good looks and charm certainly helped him in this regard).
Above all, Thorild maintained that a woman should be judged as an individual. He famously argued: “Just as foolish as it is to regard a woman only in the capacity of a SHE, it would be to regard a man only in the capacity of a HE.” Thorild died relatively young, but his ideas endured. Indeed, for many years, Stockholm was a haven of progressive thought, with the philosopher and poet having laid the foundations of the country’s feminist movement. His famous quote is still used by Scandinavian feminists to this day.