"The greatest block today in the way of woman's emancipation is the church, the canon law, the Bible and the priesthood"

This quote by Elizabeth Cady Stanton highlights the barriers that ladies dealt with in the 19th century in their fight for emancipation. Stanton is explaining that the church, canon law, the Bible, and the priesthood were the primary impediments to females's emancipation. The church and the priesthood were viewed as the ultimate authority in society, and the Bible and canon law were viewed as the supreme source of ethical authority. Women were not permitted to challenge these authorities, and so they were not able to make any progress in their defend emancipation. Stanton's quote is a reminder of the power of the church and the Bible in the 19th century, and how they were used to keep women in a secondary position. It likewise acts as a suggestion of the significance of challenging these authorities in order to attain true emancipation.