Many philosophers have argued that freedom should apply to men in society. They argue that men should have both physical freedom and the freedom to express themselves. However, not many philosophers take into account the freedom and equality that women should have by nature. In the case of women, equality is a necessary condition of freedom. In the works of philosophers Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Simone De Beauvoir, and Virginia Woolf, an analysis of their works shows that these authors believe that equality is absolutely a necessary condition of freedom for women. Due to the presence and dependence on men, women are deprived of the ability to use their freedom to expand their knowledge, reason and social position. Therefore, women do not need men to be free. There are no circumstances in which inequality with respect to women should be tolerable in society or within a marriage because both men and women should compromise to be happy. There are many levels of freedom that can be applied, such as physical and mental freedom. However, for these authors mental freedom is the most important. Mental freedom is the freedom to use reason and thought to make decisions. For these authors, freedom means being able to express oneself without being judged and being independent from men. All three authors express their extreme desire for women to become independent, to be considered by society as individuals, and to be treated equally to men. These women advocate independence and social equality, which explicitly leads to freedom of thought. These authors define freedom for women as the freedom to use their own reason and logic to make decisions and not depend on men to make decisions for them. Women also want equality and freedom to be... middle of paper...everyone opposes philosophers who do not take into account gender inequality that affects women's freedom. Therefore, equality for women in society is a necessary condition for their freedom. The male presence in society overshadows and does not allow women to exercise their freedom and expand their knowledge and reason. Their lack of independence from men also affects their unequal status and freedom. Works Cited: Beauvoir, Simone De. and H. M. Parshley. Introduction. The Second Sex: By Simone De Beauvoir. London: np, 1972. 13-29. PrintGilman, Charlotte Perkins. Women and economy: a study on the economic relationship between men and women as a factor of social evolution. Berkeley: University of California, 1998. Lxxi-lxxv-1-75. Print.Woolf, Virginia. At the lighthouse. Comp. Marco Hussey. New York: Harcourt, Brace &, 1927. 7-65. Press.