ALDRIDGE, Kristine Louise R.

Reflection Paper
2POL2

Feminism in Ethics

I. Introduction
The concept of Feminism- even with the somehow Feminine name used for the
concept, it is not exclusive to Women or to Females. Given the several arguments seen
through the web, several people tend to take Feminism as a power movement for women and
women only. Feminism has always been a strong movement, although personally it would
have been better if Feminism itself was not needed in the first place. Men being the sense of
Masculinity and being Masculine the form of strength has been the given measurement for
anyone and everyone no matter what the person identify as. Feminism in total only ask for
one thing that would inevitably let issues resolve itself, which is Equality- seeing that the lost
of Equality in the gender world we live in is, also, the centered issue.

Based on the reading of Marilyn Friedman in the chapter of Feminism in Ethics

Conceptions of Autonomy, as a reader, said book will take you from the idea of Feminist
Ethics, Empirical studies of Carol Gilligan and her points, objections to Carol Gilligan, and
Moral Autonomy. I took a more in-depth understanding in the study of Carol Gilligan as well
as my opinions towards her very significant Points, at the time.

II. Carol Gilligan’s Empirical Studies and its Significant Points

Carol Gilligan, an observant woman at her time gave her own studies and points
with the concept of Feminism in a very male oriented field. If looking at her points in the
time that it was made, It fairly made sense; it is how women are thought to think and we
should not expect a huge leap from what they are thought to what we now currently are
fighting for. That being said, I will be discussing Gilligan’s point with the title of what I think
is appropriate as well giving my own opinion based on the timeline I am currently in. Her
points can be fairly minimize by explaining what she believes in the correlation of Gender
and Morality- which again falls under the given Gender Stereotypes. How Men tend to be for
individualistic in a sense and how women has a more nurturing growth towards everyone-
which again if not a strong foundation to hold our way on viewing people.
i. Gender Stereotype
In Gilligan’s point with Gender Stereotype is the concept of how genders grasp or
undertake their own quality based heavily on their genders. She also added by stating how
these Universal Moral attributes should be termed as a “Male moral standpoint” given that, at
the time, rules and regulations given by authorities- again men, were more beneficial to them
and somewhat a more negative effect to women. This, despite not being a fresh idea to the
subject, is still very true and very powerful. In my point of view, it would appear that they
were holding those “negative” rules and regulations towards women to maintain in power by
creating such frustrations and fears.
ii. Alternative Moral Orientations
Care and Justice may be combined but in this point of Gilligan, Division was
shown. She would argue on how men are more oriented with justice- seeing that they were
the leaders before, while, women were more oriented with Care. Although I do agree with the
argument that this shows unrealistic views on gender roles or such gender stereotypes, you
can not blame her as it is what was practiced at the time seeing that emotions, perks, attitudes
and even traits were divided and were counted by gender. You do not need to live in that era
to understand that women were thought to stay at home and care for men while men were
thought to be the provider- and if such roles were disobeyed and were reversed, the man
would come out as a failure as the provider and masculinity they hold would be removed as if
it was a privilege while women would be given a difficult time inside the work area where it
is male dominated and our minds can only take so much alongside with abuse.
iii. Role of Emotions
Emotions were and still is a huge part of a person. Even this was scene by
philosophers- yet was still ignored. She added how this was part of the devaluation of women.
This confuses me- but then again Emotions were seen to be attributes of a woman. Although,
again, this should not be a negative because it is human to feel, it did not stop man to devalue
this as a sign of weakness. It would seem that the way they think about this subject was
“emotions are for women because they are weak, men must only show strength and the
appropriate thing here is to be happy when you feel successful while if frustration occurs, the
only appropriate feeling and reaction is anger”- this is because Emotions are inevitable and if
you are to argue that men do not feel is merely ignorance in order to prove the masculine
point. Emotions or being emotional back then meant that you were crying which is a sign of
weakness hence statements such “Never cry in front of someone” it shows vulnerability. So
men did feel but they do not cry.
 I was taken a back from how Gilligan, a Feminist, pointed out how unfairly
women were measured at the time- again very true given her day and age when she created
this, but in this timeline, her statement is not a very feminist stand given that, all genders at
the time were unfairly measured by what the people back then believed is the proper
measurement. Not all men wanted to be measured that way, so many of them having to hide
their true identity towards others and majority of the time they also had to hide themselves
from their own- swallowing what they should be, just because of someone who created the
measurements. I am not saying that they had it harder than what women had to go through
because I personally believe that it is not a contest and if it is hard for women back then, then
it was also hard for men to keep up with the system just so that they would not be picked on
by peers, as well as having to force themselves to make fun of others so that they would be
the main attraction of being picked on. It was a time of having to sacrifice what is right for
the wanted result of not having to get red tagged on. It was not because men did not want to
seem feminine- but because other people were uncomfortable to see feminine men. It was
definitely a time where almost everyone had a secret and private war against their own true
selves.

III. Reflection
As a Woman in this generation as well as my given age, You really start to realize
how fortunate as well as unfortunate you are. Fortunate in a way that I am lucky to have lived
as a woman in this time and age because a lot of people or at least more people have
understood the concept and idea of how worth while the power of Feminism is and how it
also benefits all genders and every human being. But at the same time you realize how
unfortunate it is to BE a woman in general.
Older generation- or at least majority are still stuck in the masculine, feminine
concept and with that comes new offspring of generations having to bare the thought of how
one should act based on their gender- which again, for those older generation, gender only
consist of two types which is the Male- the dominant and the Female. I believe their might be
a day in life where everyone will no longer need to fight for feminism because it will no
longer be an issue, but I also believe that chances are very slim. You can not simply argue to
someone what you believe in and what is right and expect everyone to just be ok with it
because that is not how Humans were wired to think. We are wired to think on our own way
based on how we feel on certain issue. Much like with the on going life for the division of
being Pro live and Pro choice. You can not expect every female to be pro choice- ironic or
not because it is what they believe in and what they accept as true. You can not also create
this idea that all men would not have any opinions in the matter just because they do not bare
children. Beliefs are part of life and they have this huge impact to everyone no matter what
gender, what religion or any other concepts that makes someone the way they are. We will
always have own opinions and own beliefs no matter what the facts are.
Going back to what I said about Feminism not being limited to women, Man or
Male also suffers inequality by their own given standards to what they believe on how men
should act, which like I said in the Introduction part is to be Masculine and Masculine means
strong, brave and whatever synonyms it may come with. There are men who portrays those
stereotypes without any problem because it is who they are- the issue their is that people
would automatically assume that “yes they are straight”, assuming automatically their gender
just because it is what they believe a Hetero Man would act and as well as having this grasp
of how being Heterosexual is the automatic gender unless told otherwise- which again is false
because it is an accusation made by us Mortals, no one more powerful than us has every said
that those are true and that if they did say those, they are not here to say it making it a “he
said she said scenario”.
There are so much more I want to add on this reflection, which I am sure a lot of
people have already said and so nothing in my paper would be new, but if I had to simplify
my words in order to provide my definite reflection is that- today and even back then, there
should not be stereotypes. There should not be indication of what someone is just because of
how they act or what they identify as. Accept it or not, there is not such thing as a “definite
stereotype” because stereotype in a sense is just an accusation, it is merely a “maybe” and
will never be Factual to life. People should be able to feel and act the way they want because,
again, there is no higher being present at this very moment to tell all of us- live might I add,
that it is not the case- we, alone make these concept or beliefs on our own to have an answer
to things that we are not able to explain scientifically as well as a rope for us to pull ourselves
up when we are down to the lowest points in our lives, a mere hope for us.