I don't know if any country attempted to introduce sexual equality before the 20th century. While feminist and suffragist organizations lobbied governments to allow women to vote, to get educations, start businesses, and advance in society, the first nation to actually make sexual equality an official priority was East Germany, also known as the German Democratic Republic.
but in reality a satellite nation of the Soviet Union, also known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but actually a dictatorial empire controlled by the members of the Soviet Politburo, the dozen or so men who made decisions autocratically for millions of people--supported by the secret police and the military.
The socialist power-structure did not tolerate groups who tried to live by standards, other than those of the prevailing political philosophy. Indoctrination started with day-care, continued into grade-school, university, or trade school. The ruling government maintained its hold using government media. As one official in East Germany expressed it, "In Sozialismus, gibt es keine Randgruppen." No one can live outside the socialist sphere! It permits no separate functioning or dissent. Everyone must play his part, as determined by the government.
This leads me to suspect that sexual equality cannot function on its own. As with other compulsory egalitarian policies, it can only survive with the right political chaperone--the socialist steamroller that presses people down to make them equal--women as well as men.
