Philosophy
Though Plato's thoughts on gender equality?at least as expressed in The Republic?were somewhat ahead of his time (though that doesn't say much, considering the misogyny of ancient Greece), the legacy of his theory of eternal essences has been used throughout history, intentionally and unintentionally, to reinforce the oppression and subjugation of women.
Variations on the concept of the 'eternal feminine' have been invoked by thinkers as diverse as Dante, Bacon, Rousseau and Goethe to reinforce the belief in inherent differences?and a subsequent hierarchy?between men and women. Men, according to this scheme, were depicted as embodying the active, penetrative principle responsible for activities such as conquest, dominion and calculation, while women were said to represent passivity, modesty, purity, gracefulness, servility, politeness and nurturing.
In the 19th century, those notions started to be challenged by philosophers such as Nietzsche, who was opposed to all forms of dualism and essentialism to the very core of his being, and John Stuart Mill, who famously declared that everything men know about women is what men have taught men about women without ever asking women who they are or what makes them tick.
Such challenges would eventually rise to new heights when French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir declared in The Second Sex that gender is not an eternal, inescapable metaphysical, or even biological, essence, as had been traditionally assumed, but merely a social construction that robs women of their freedom to determine their own destinies and identities. In what has become perhaps the most famous line in her book, Beauvoir argues: "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."
Femininity is not 'secreted by the ovaries,' nor is it 'enshrined in a Platonic heaven.' It is, rather, the result of a particular?and regrettable?situation according to which Man is considered as self-identity, whereas Woman is always defined as Other, as not-man. Man is the Absolute, Subject, autonomous, active, self-defined, independent, strong, positivity. Woman, on the other hand, is defined as Other, as Object, as inherently alien and alienated, as naturally constrained by her body, as negativity, passivity and reaction, as dependent and weak. This, of course, Beauvoir thinks, is absolute bullshit. :)
And if that kind of animation isn't your thing, and you'd prefer some 8-bit, 80's style video-game animation, we have that too:
Other philosophers, such as Judith Butler, have thoughtfully expanded on Simone de Beauvoir's work, making important distinctions and contributions to our understanding of the construction of gender:
And here is Butler herself on the performative aspect of gender construction:
And if you're curious to learn some more about Beauvoir's life, work, philosophy and influence, there's a really nice introduction over at the BBC's In Our Time.
- Happy Birthday Gloria Steinem
Yesterday was Gloria Steinem's 75th birthday. A wonderful event and an appropriate time to consider the state of gender equality and gender roles in our society. Domestic violence has been all over the headlines lately. The pay gap for women still...
- The Existentialist Couple: Sartre And Beauvoir
.It is interesting to know that Jean-Paul Sartre, the famous existentialist philosopher and political activist, failed in his first attempt at his agrégation, a form of exit exam which qualifies a person for a teaching post, in 1928. Failing this was...
- A Feminist Criticism Of The Republic.
Many of Plato?s ideas about women?s roles in society are extreme for his time. His reformist ideas push for equality between men and women in every role of society, from the military to the guardians. While this is a feminist argument, it is undermined...
- A Feminist In Greece?
A Feminist in Greece? Kyler M. Robinson Socrates is a great thinker and his philosophies can be applied to nearly all aspects of modern and past society. While his ideas often challenge traditional thinking, in respect to the feminist agenda he...
- Socrates: Feminist?
Travis Larkin Is Socrates a feminist? In book five, Socrates radically states that women should receive the same training (geometry, gymnastics, and music) as men in society. For this reason it is the common misconception that Socrates is a feminist....
Philosophy
Simone de Beauvoir & Judith Butler on Gender
Though Plato's thoughts on gender equality?at least as expressed in The Republic?were somewhat ahead of his time (though that doesn't say much, considering the misogyny of ancient Greece), the legacy of his theory of eternal essences has been used throughout history, intentionally and unintentionally, to reinforce the oppression and subjugation of women.Variations on the concept of the 'eternal feminine' have been invoked by thinkers as diverse as Dante, Bacon, Rousseau and Goethe to reinforce the belief in inherent differences?and a subsequent hierarchy?between men and women. Men, according to this scheme, were depicted as embodying the active, penetrative principle responsible for activities such as conquest, dominion and calculation, while women were said to represent passivity, modesty, purity, gracefulness, servility, politeness and nurturing.
Such challenges would eventually rise to new heights when French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir declared in The Second Sex that gender is not an eternal, inescapable metaphysical, or even biological, essence, as had been traditionally assumed, but merely a social construction that robs women of their freedom to determine their own destinies and identities. In what has become perhaps the most famous line in her book, Beauvoir argues: "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."
Femininity is not 'secreted by the ovaries,' nor is it 'enshrined in a Platonic heaven.' It is, rather, the result of a particular?and regrettable?situation according to which Man is considered as self-identity, whereas Woman is always defined as Other, as not-man. Man is the Absolute, Subject, autonomous, active, self-defined, independent, strong, positivity. Woman, on the other hand, is defined as Other, as Object, as inherently alien and alienated, as naturally constrained by her body, as negativity, passivity and reaction, as dependent and weak. This, of course, Beauvoir thinks, is absolute bullshit. :)
And if that kind of animation isn't your thing, and you'd prefer some 8-bit, 80's style video-game animation, we have that too:
Other philosophers, such as Judith Butler, have thoughtfully expanded on Simone de Beauvoir's work, making important distinctions and contributions to our understanding of the construction of gender:
And here is Butler herself on the performative aspect of gender construction:
And if you're curious to learn some more about Beauvoir's life, work, philosophy and influence, there's a really nice introduction over at the BBC's In Our Time.
- Happy Birthday Gloria Steinem
Yesterday was Gloria Steinem's 75th birthday. A wonderful event and an appropriate time to consider the state of gender equality and gender roles in our society. Domestic violence has been all over the headlines lately. The pay gap for women still...
- The Existentialist Couple: Sartre And Beauvoir
.It is interesting to know that Jean-Paul Sartre, the famous existentialist philosopher and political activist, failed in his first attempt at his agrégation, a form of exit exam which qualifies a person for a teaching post, in 1928. Failing this was...
- A Feminist Criticism Of The Republic.
Many of Plato?s ideas about women?s roles in society are extreme for his time. His reformist ideas push for equality between men and women in every role of society, from the military to the guardians. While this is a feminist argument, it is undermined...
- A Feminist In Greece?
A Feminist in Greece? Kyler M. Robinson Socrates is a great thinker and his philosophies can be applied to nearly all aspects of modern and past society. While his ideas often challenge traditional thinking, in respect to the feminist agenda he...
- Socrates: Feminist?
Travis Larkin Is Socrates a feminist? In book five, Socrates radically states that women should receive the same training (geometry, gymnastics, and music) as men in society. For this reason it is the common misconception that Socrates is a feminist....