What are some quotes about the status of women in Shakespeare's Othello?

You might start your search for quotations in Iago's description of the perfect woman, which occurs in the first part of Act 2, when he is jesting with Desdemona and Emilia.  After listing these characteristics, which include a soft voice, thrift, a calm temper and a reserved nature, Iago ends with the purpose of such a creature:

To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.

In other words, the perfect woman's purpose is to nurture babies...

You might start your search for quotations in Iago's description of the perfect woman, which occurs in the first part of Act 2, when he is jesting with Desdemona and Emilia.  After listing these characteristics, which include a soft voice, thrift, a calm temper and a reserved nature, Iago ends with the purpose of such a creature:

To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.

In other words, the perfect woman's purpose is to nurture babies and to keep house.  Whether she be rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, smart or stupid, this is her purpose.  Of course, Iago is a villain, and his words are not supposed be taken as truth--or are they?  

Even though they are more noble in character, the other male characters seem to view the status of women in the same way as Iago does.  When Brabantio finds out that Desdemona has eloped, he equates her to property, calls Othello a "foul thief" (1.2), and eventually disowns her because of her decision.  Cassio seems to worship women, but he scoffs at the idea of marrying Bianca who, as his courtesan, is socially inferior to him

I marry her!  What, a customer! I prithee bear some charity to my wit.  

It seems, according to Cassio,  that some women are not worthy of marriage. Even Othello has issues in his view of women.  As much as he loves Desdemona, he also objectifies her.  He talks of winning her as a prize when he tells the senators in Act 1 how he and Desdemona fell in love.  In Act 2, he describes his marriage as a "purchase," and their lovemaking "a profit." 

It seems that the status of women is to be objects used by men.  As Emilia says in Act 3,

They are all but stomachs and we all but food.

They eat us hungrily, and when they are full

They belch us.  

The status of any particular woman seems to depend on a male's perceptions of her.  She is either an object to be esteemed and treasured, a sullied woman to be scorned and rejected, or a servant (like Emilia) to be ordered about.