The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, reportedly said in 1499 that "[it] is a woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned, [when] from woman are born leaders and kings.
ðə fˈaʊndɚɹ ʌv sˈiːkɪzəm, ɡjˈʊɹɹuː nˈænæk, ɹᵻpˈoːɹɾᵻdli sˈɛd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn ðˈæt "ɪt ɪz ɐ wˈʊmən hˌuː kˈiːps ðə ɹˈeɪs ɡˈoʊɪŋ" ænd ðæt wiː ʃˌʊd nˈɑːt "kənsˈɪdɚ wˈʊmən kˈɜːst ænd kəndˈɛmd, wɛn fɹʌm wˈʊmən ɑːɹ bˈɔːɹn lˈiːdɚz ænd kˈɪŋz.