Postmodern Feminist Philosophy

Paper Summary:

This paper refers to three articles that explore the age-old cultural constructions of gender divisions from a new perspective of a postmodern feminist philosophy. It seeks to assert the feminine principle in nature. The three papers discussed are C. Gilligan's "Visions of Maturity"; L. Irigaray's "Questions - Postmodern Feminism"; and Robert Baker's article ,"Pricks & Chicks: A Plea for Persons". Using Baker's main points, the writer here suggests that recognizing the sexuality of the different genders is the first key to achieving equality. This must then be followed by a change in the way we use words to describe men and women and their varying roles in society.

From the Paper:

"The above realization is not new and has already led to the feminist movement proposing conceptual revisions in language. However, according to Baker, some of the revisions proposed are confused especially since the root of the problem really lies in society's very conception of sex and the structuring of sexual identification. To start with, as Baker observes, it is extremely significant that society identifies women and men sexually. Consider, for instance, the way proper nouns and personal pronouns reflect the sex of the person. Consider also a most striking aspect of the conceptual discrimination of the two sexes as manifested in the fact that while the word "man" can be substituted for humanity or mankind in any sentence without changing its meaning; significantly the word "woman" cannot."

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