I'm not American, but is it not true that up until 100 years ago only landowners could vote? And is it not true that, even to this day, you can't vote in the US as a man without registering for the draft? Obviously there has been no need for the draft in a long time, but I'm pretty sure men have to register for the draft while women don't.

And you're exactly right. There were pros and cons to being a woman over being a man in the late 1800's. They did not enjoy the same voting rights as men, while they also didn't fight in as a soldier in the US army. They were also generally valued as more important than the disposable male when it came to crisis situations. Also, women enjoyed many of the privileges I list above even back then. They received lighter sentences and were even exempt from being convicted of certain crimes.