Feminist-Based Ethics

1. Feminist-Based Ethics Hannah Kemink Mitch Chadwick Cooper Sniatynski Jessie Blank

2. Summarization • Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women.

3. Summarization con’t • As a social movement, feminism large focuses on limiting or eradicating gender inequality and promoting women’s rights, interest, and issues in society.

4. Book-Anthony Weston • Traditional ethics shows less concern for women’s issues and interests. It implies women are not as morally mature as men.

5. Mary Wollstonecraft • Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) • Argued women are not naturally inferior to men, and only appear to be due to lack of education

6. Mary Wollstonecraftcon’t • She suggests that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded on reason. • She was a radical in the sense that she desired to bridge the gap between mankind’s present circumstances and ultimate perfection.

7. One of the first male feminists Wrote The Subjection of Women Talks about the role of women in marriage and how he felt it needed to be changed John Stuart Mill

8. John Stuart Millcon’t • Mill comments on three major parts of women’s lives that he felt are hindering them: • Society and gender construction • Education • Marriage • He believed that gender construction and society in general started the domino effect of what women were to become at that time and the time to come

9. Criticisms of Feminist-Based Ethics • Some critics find that Feminists are effectively preaching hate against males • Critics say that if you replace ‘male and female’ with ‘black and white’ it could be viewed at racist

10. Criticisms of Feminist-Based Ethicscon’t • Some argue that because of feminism males are becoming oppressed • Those who make this claim argue that males die from suicide four times more frequently • From 1980 to the early 1990’s, 72% of suicides were white males

11. Applying the Theory • When the feminist movement began, women were expected to stay at home and do household tasks • Today, women are obtaining equal jobs and doing just as much in workplace as men

12. Review Question #1 • When did the idea of Feminism first begin, and who had this idea?

13. Review Question #2 What is the Feminist’s main objective? Ex: What are they trying to rid our society of

14. Feminism Today • Today, women pursue careers that once were never thought could be obtained. • Women are well educated, and are making a big impact on our competitive society.

15. Feminism TodayCon’t • As mother’s, women still take on the task of caring and nurturing for a child. • A child’s primal attachment is its’ mother, and it is hard to steer a woman away from this responsibility. • Some mother’s today attend school or work full-time, and care for a child. • Their hard work and dedication should be appreciated, for our children our are future.

16. Sources • http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-ethics/ • http://cco.cambridge.org/extract?id=ccol0521624517_CCOL0521624517A013 • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill • A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox • By Anthony Weston (2008)