I notice that in the Readings that Vivekananda has only used the masculine gender in his talks. Did he ever address women or any womens issues?
Your question deals with the conventions of language, but also with what Vivekananda actually did. Regarding language, until very recently in America the word “man” was equated with the word “mankind” and in meaning could include both men and women which is how Vivekananda used the word “man.” At times, however, Vivekananda makes specific references to women, and he also used the phrase “men and women.” But more importantly he advocated independence for women. And in his usual way, left it up to those who need it, women, to nail down what “independence” really means. When Vivekananda came to America, his chief supporters and helpers were almost all women. And since then American women have been exceedingly important in maintaining the Vedanta movement in the U.S. Vivekananda was full of praise for American women, appreciating their get-up-and-go, their participation in the social and political life, as well as their abilities to be mothers, wives, sisters and enter the labor market if
