Mary Wollstonecraft advocated for women's education and equality at a time when it was largely denied to them. In her seminal work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, published in 1792, she argued that women are not naturally inferior to men but only appear to be due to lack of education. Wollstonecraft stressed that access to education is essential for women to contribute meaningfully to society. Her pioneering ideas laid the groundwork for modern feminist thought and significantly influenced later movements advocating for women's rights.