Women like Mary Wollstonecraft faced significant barriers in advocating for their rights, including societal norms that deemed women as inferior to men. During the late 18th century, women were often denied access to formal education and political participation, limiting their ability to voice their ideas and demand reform. Wollstonecraft's revolutionary work, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," challenged these conventions, but she met resistance from both male and female contemporaries. Additionally, prevalent attitudes toward gender roles and the lack of legal rights for women undermined their advocacy efforts, making it a struggle for women to gain acceptance and recognition in society.