Short answer: Jainism itself does not privilege men over women in the soul’s potential for liberation. The Dharma teaches that every jiva (soul) has the same divine potential, and moksha (liberation) is possible for all.

Key points to understand:

• The ultimate goal in Jainism is the same for everyone—kevala jnana (absolute knowledge) and moksha—regardless of gender.
• Social and religious roles in Jain communities have varied over time and between communities.

Important difference between major traditions:

• Digambara: Traditionally holds that a woman must be reborn as a man to achieve moksha. This is a general stance within classical Digambara interpretation, though there are scholarly and devotional discussions around exceptions in practice.
• Svetambara: Generally teaches that women can attain moksha in their own right, without needing to be reborn as a man.

In practice today, many Jain communities actively support women as nuns, scholars, teachers, and lay practitioners, and women participate fully in rituals, study, and community leadership.

If you’d like, I can summarize the key scriptural statements related to gender and liberation from specific Jain texts and explain how Digambara and Svetambara interpretations differ.