What we observe today was already the case in the past: in politically radicalized societies, the exclusion of women from the public sphere often goes hand in hand with a social acceptance of violence—both in public and in private life. In an interview with Fluter, Prof. Dr. Ruth E. Hagengruber discusses the systematic exclusion of women philosophers from the history of science and ideas. She comments on this development as follows:
“They have achieved no less than men. We just know less or nothing at all about their achievements. And that wasn’t always the case. […] After an era in which women were visible in the public sphere, the execution of Olympe de Gouges marked the beginning of their exclusion.” ~ Ruth E. Hagengruber, fluter.
Olympe de Gouges was a writer, political essayist, and one of the earliest feminist theorists of the French Revolution. Her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791) articulated key demands for legal and political equality. It states:
“Woman is born free and lives equal to man in her rights. Social distinctions can be based only on the common utility.” ~ Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
“Woman, wake up! The tocsin of reason is being heard throughout the whole universe; discover your rights.” ~ Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
Her political positions led to her arrest and execution in 1793. In the interview, Hagengruber emphasizes the structural consequences of this historical exclusion of female voices:
“We learn a history of erasure as if it were the only truth. That’s why we grow up in a cultural history devoid of women. […] If Newton had only measured every second planet to explain their dynamics, we would have a completely flawed understanding of the solar system. It’s no different in philosophy.” ~ Ruth E. Hagengruber, fluter.
The full interview with Prof. Dr. Ruth E. Hagengruber is available here: Fluter – Women Philosophers in History
On January 22, 2025, Prof. Hagengruber gave a lecture as part of the interdisciplinary series Cultural Perspectives on Democracy at Paderborn University on the topic of “Women Philosophers and the Invention of Democracy,” with a particular focus on Olympe de Gouges. Her demands for equality, representation, and participation continue to challenge our society to this day. You can watch the lecture here:
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