Artificially do not try to become equal with men. That is not allowed in the Vedic sastra. Na striyam svatantratam arhati [Manu-samhita]. That is called sastra.

You have to understand that woman is never given to be independence.

Independence means just like child has to be taken care, similarly, woman has to be taken care. You cannot let your child go in the street alone. There will be danger. Similarly, according to Vedic civilization, Manu-samhita, woman should be given protection. In this way, acara. This is called acara.

The demons, they do not know. The demons, they do not know what is what, how one thing should be treated. They do not know. In the Western countries there is no such distinction between man and woman. But there is. We have to accept it and construct this social institution in that way. Then it will be perfect.

From Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Bhagavad-gita 16.7 — February 3, 1975, Honolulu