Equality, Modernity, and Inclusion in Judith Drake’s <i>Essay in Defence of the Female Sex</i>

Judith Drake’s Essay in Defence of the Female Sex (1696) is a unique contribution to early English feminist thought. Both scathingly funny and remarkably erudite, the work wades into a variety of philosophical, political, and literary debates, showing how they can be brought to bear on the “woman question.” Today, the text is unfortunately neglected. While her contemporary, Mary Astell, has gained recognition as a feminist critic of Locke, Drake’s admiration for Locke has hindered her recovery. The scant literature on Drake treats her as an inconsistent thinker, unaware of how her Lockean epistemology mars her feminist project. This paper challenges this reading by arguing that Drake is not simply derivative of Locke but offers an original and prescient argument for women’s inclusion in her society. Rather than base sexual equality on a claim that men and women are identical, Drake argues that sexual differences cannot justify the exclusion of women from public life in modern societies. Identifying fundamental changes occurring in her society—including the rise of commerce, developments in print culture, and the emergence of the public sphere—Drake shows how these advancements have provided opportunities for women’s inclusion. Taking Drake seriously on her own terms, and not merely as a proxy for Locke, allows us to appreciate a thinker who sheds light on enduring debates about the relationship between equality, modernity, and inclusion.