First off, it was extremely unlikely to have a woman protagonist in books that were published in the 19th century. Also, Hester does not have a man supporting her (so far at least) and cares for herself and her daughter solely. This shows that Hawthorne believed women were capable of independence and did not need to rely on a man.
It is also important to realize that Hawthorne does not make the strong female character abide to the rules. Instead she cheats on her husband and becomes an adulterer... with a child to prove it. Also, Hawthorne makes the Puritans cruel and harsh to her which shows he disagrees with the religion.
I would agree that he appears very pro-women in the book. I though it was interesting that of the main characters Hester is the only one who keeps her act together (except for Pearl). He portrays Hester as being this rock who perseveres throughout the harsh criticism of society and Dimmesdale as being a weak man who can't handle his sin despite the sacrifices Hester has made to hide it from the rest of the community. Additionally, Chillingworth is just a leech who prays on Dimmesdale's torment. I think it's sort of poetic that Hester is seen as a villain by society while the other two are seen as respectable citizens, when in actuality the reverse is true.
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