Answer

In Jain Dharma, this is not a simple yes-or-no matter. It depends on the tradition.

• In the Śvetāmbara tradition, Mallinatha is accepted as a female Tirthankar.
• In the Digambara tradition, Tirthankaras are accepted as male, so Mallinatha is understood differently.

So, from the viewpoint of Jain sectarian doctrine, denying female Tirthankarhood is not accepted in every Jain tradition. It is accepted in one tradition and not in another.

Explanation

Jain Dharma teaches that the soul has no gender in its pure nature. Liberation is possible for the soul when karma is destroyed.

However, the question of Tirthankar status is a scriptural and traditional difference between Jain sects:

• Śvetāmbara texts and tradition preserve Mallinatha as a female Tirthankar.
• Digambara tradition does not accept female Tirthankaras.

So if someone says, “A female cannot be a Tirthankar,” that statement is not universally true across Jainism.

Spiritual Understanding

The deeper Jain teaching is that spiritual purity is above bodily identity. What matters is:

• Right faith
• Right knowledge
• Right conduct
• Complete destruction of karma

Still, Jain tradition also preserves different doctrinal understandings, and we should speak of them with respect.

Takeaway

If you are speaking from a Śvetāmbara Jain view, then denying female Tirthankarhood would be incorrect. If you are speaking from a Digambara Jain view, the tradition does not accept female Tirthankaras.

So the most accurate Jain answer is: this is a sectarian doctrinal difference, not a single unanimous Jain position.