Transcript Feminist and Care

Feminist Theories
By: Alysha Kurz, Tracy Ochs, Becky
Kuhlow, and Jeremiah Tetzlaff
Tuesday 5:30
10/28/08
Feminist Theory
Attempt to revise/reformulate/rethink aspects
of traditional western ethics that devalue
women’s moral experience
History of Feminism in USA
• Women’s Suffrage
– First action to increase women’s power
– Major leader was Susan B Anthony
– Fought and got women’s ability to vote
• Government’s Empowerment 1941-1945
– Pushed for more women working
– National Icon “Rosie the Riveter”
• Feminist movement during 1960-1980
– Fought inequalities in law and culture
– Viewed as a failure
• Feminist movement during 1990-Present
– Caused by failure of first movement
– Fights against same inequalities
A Leader of Theory
Alison Jaggar
Found 5 ways traditional western ethics don’t
help women
– 1) Little concern for women’s interest and rights
– 2) Dismiss the private world or home life
– 3) Women aren’t developed morally as men
– 4) Overvalues men’s cultural traits
– 5) Favors masculine ways of reasoning
A Leader of Theory
Carol Gilligan
• Stresses that traditional western moral
theories
• Response to Freudian notion
• Women’s moral difference from men
Founder of “Difference Feminism”
Believe men and women think/act differently
Gilligan’s Stages
Stage
Goal
Pre-conventional
Goal is individual
survival
Conventional
Self sacrifice is
goodness
Post-Conventional
Principle of
nonviolence: do
not hurt others or
self
Criticisms of Carol Gilligan
• Christian Hoff Sommers
– Failed to produce data
– Gilligan used anecdotal evidence
– Unable to duplicate work
– Sample was too small
– Tests on Gender Studies by other
fields
Ethical Dilemmas of Today
Abortion
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Abortion
Does the woman have ethical obligations to the
fetus?
Is it ethical to force a woman to carry a
pregnancy to term?
Does the woman have ethical obligations to the
father?
Is it ethical to give birth to an unwanted child?
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
• Definition
• Sexualized environments
• Evolution of treatment of women in the
workplace
• Examples of sexual harassment situations
– Women in the military
– Anita Hill Vs. Clarence Thomas
Criticism of Feminism
Theory of Caring
• Caring is case by case
– Destroys Ethical system
• Based on women’s experiences and
tendencies
– Feminist criticize other theories are male based
Review
Name the leaders.
What are Gilligan’s three stages of moral
development?
How many faults did Jaggar find in western
ethics?
Thank You For Your Time
Feminist Theory