Professional Documents
Culture Documents
12 April 2017
By the middle decades of the nineteenth century, the cause of feminism, the
explicit assertion of the individual autonomy of women, against their husbands, had
clearly emerged. It can be seen in the arguments of individual writers, following Mary
Wollstonecraft and William Thompson, outlining the case for equality from varying
manners near the end of the eighteenth century is what sparked the feminist idea that
women should behave in ways that represent their true selves and give thought to the
meaning of womanhood (5-8, Herman and Stewart). The differences of politics and
womens experiences as individuals has since been cause of division in the feminist
movement- but does not inherently divorce women from their goal of establishing
wellbeing and equality for women and vulnerable minorities specifically in the same way
egalitarianism does by means of erasure. Becoming unified under one single identity,
identity and theory has much more to offer marginalized groups than one which is one-
dimensional and lacking in criticism of those causing inequality in the first place.
John Stuart Mill was a prominent feminist writer whose work attacked the idea
that differential moral standards ought to apply to men and women. Influenced by Harriet
Taylor, Mill became sympathetic to the condition of womens treatment, rejecting August
Comtes idea that women were biologically inferior entirely (286, Rendall). The
Revolution of 1848 brought forth a time of explosive feminist beginning, where working-
classes of women began to add their concerns about womens education to their demand
for political and civil equality (291, Rendall). That pursuit for political and civil rights
was a difficult one- one that would not be satisfied by being told they should be equal to
other human beings. Later movements (lead by Susan B. Anthony) in the United States
explored the idea of womens moral superiority and the effects of different measures of
education on the nature of womens wellbeing, finding that the efforts to equalize women
elevated their autonomy and better participation in broad public life as citizens, taking
part in contributing to anti-slavery and other movements towards equality for people
305). Social reformers can then be classified as feminists because of the consequences
of their activities, and not because they share any particular social analysis or critical
spiritThe way feminisms past is understood and interpreted thus informs and is
has actualized equality for women and furthered a real sense of better wellbeing in
society.
should have equal quantities of well-being or morally relevant factors that affect their
life (1, Hirose). Egalitarians believe in the the equal distribution of wellbeing. John
but instead which conditions justify socioeconomic inequality (6, Hirose). Another
Ronald Dworkin and later by Richard Arneson and G.A. Cohen (7, Hirose). It furthers
the theory by contributing the notion of responsibility into the idea of distribute justice
and considering the effects of luck and whether or not they are within a persons control,
or thus whether or not inequalities ought to be reduced. The problem with this theorists
considering its role in how justice may be unfairly distributed. According to Rawls,
some features of actual individuals are morally irrelevant when we choose the basic
structure of society. These features are individuals position in society (wealth, race, class,
gender, et.), natural endowments, conception of the good life and generation (23.
Hirose).
Rawls second principle is the one which comes closest to addressing the issues of
women in that it proposes that when it comes to social inequalities, the most benefit
ought to be given to the people who are least advantaged (23, Hirose). So, which group
would be considered the least advantaged in society? Rawls suggests one could identify
the least advantaged by comparison of their social primary goods- goods every rational
person would like to have, like income, freedom, and self-respect. Feminists would argue
that according to this rationale, their world view that women are the most marginalized
and at the least advantage is true and should be therefore given at least as much benefit as
men.
What most theories of egalitarianism seem to aim to do is improve the condition
of the worst off and thereby lessen inequality, but not unconditionally pursue strict
equality. Maybe the most interesting objection to egalitarianism is based in the thesis that
all people are, in fact, equal. An objection is that the egalitarian distributive justice is
Achieving justice in the name of greater equality for people whose inequality
stems from a metric: A lack of resources and wealth or capacity to perform certain
recognizes that its possible not all persons are already being treated equally and is
think that womens equality must be actively addressed and the concerns of marginalized
people given specific attention, if they are to be given equal justice in an unequal
society- different humans all experience different expectations in life. The experience of a
womans denial of equality in life is dramatically different than that of a man (and such
could also be said for that of a white woman versus a black woman, for example.)
Feminism is the most useful tool and has most merit because it specifically
targets their issues and recognizes we must go above the vague and broad: Everyone is
equal to say: Everyone is not equal, and here is how we can dismantle the problems
state of suffering and a lowered quality of life. Egalitarianism addresses a broad sense of
equality for all humans but by doing so, erases anyone identifying problems of their
existence to be anything other than a human problem, which leaves those people
without any institution. Feminism unites women to speak about their experiences of
does not; but instead calls to unite the individual as part of humanity- a concept which
is probably most appealing to a person whose identity is not involuntarily built through
the inconvenience and prejudice of minor and major institutional injustices- a call that
marginalized people dont pick up. Individuals in society seek to have their humanity
actualized to be able to reach ones full potential (which egalitarianism does not prevent
but also does not explicitly promote, when it comes to the concept of gender) and to be
equal in the sense that they are free to pursue a life that brings happiness. Women and
minorities cannot always attribute their poor circumstances to bad luck, per Rawls
theories, nor would they be likely find an inclusive community of people to welcome
them. Feminism has made actual its ideas and concepts and realized equality for people,
As a woman, I have found much more value in a theory that may be used to examine
some of my own life circumstances and why others may treat me differently. It offers
ideas of how to conquer these differences (and how to be a better ally and further equality
for the women around me who are suffering in other unjust ways) than a theory that
explains that I ought to be equal to others and may just be experiencing instances of
sexism due to some bad luck (by which gender is considered morally irrelevant).
Marginalized groups cannot afford the time to sit around and theorize about their own
injustices or to decide whether or not they are deserving of justice when compared to the
rest of humanity- sexism can lead to the individuals economic destruction, violence, rape
valuable tool for women- someone who is not consciously aware of their own ability to
move freely in the world and thus unaware (and inconsiderate) of those who cannot. It is
for these reasons that I make the case that feminism has much more to offer women and
References
Herrmann, Anne, and Abigail J. Stewart. Theorizing Feminism. 5, 7 ,8. 1st ed. 2017.
Print.
Rendall, Jane. The Origins Of Modern Feminism. 276, 286, 291. 1st ed. 2017. Print.
References