Feminists Ignore Biology, Dissident Feminist Camille Paglia Argues

Submitted by Mastodon on Sat, 2013-10-19 17:44

Article here. Excerpt:

'Self-described "dissident feminist" Camille Paglia recently took feminists and women's studies programs to task for failing to acknowledge biological gender differences. She also criticized the American education system for failing to recognize the unique needs of boys and girls, and suggested there could be a conservative backlash against the cultural message that gender is socially, rather than biologically, constructed.
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In her opening remarks, available here, Paglia accuses women's studies programs at universities of being too insular and closed-minded, and feminists of being ignorant of gender differences and hostile to stay-at-home mothering and the educational needs of boys.

"I do believe that gender roles are malleable and dynamically shaped by culture," she said. "However, the frequency with which gender roles return to a polarized norm, as well as the startling similarity of gender roles in societies separated by vast distances of time and space, does suggest that there is something fundamentally constant in gender that is based in concrete facts.'

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Comments

I see her point. Tendencies exist across cultures and eras. However these should not determine responsibilities and duties of adults under the law, nor be an excuse for different treatment of people of different sexes in the same. Nor should these tendencies be enshrined into law by gender role stereotyping. If people tend to go this way or that in seeking certain occupations, etc., then that is their choice and fine with that. It shouldn't, however, be written anywhere in stone.

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Submitted by Matt on Sat, 2013-10-19 20:10

I agree, Matt. Equal treatment and protection under the law, irrespective of gender, race, religion, etc., is not just a moral imperative. It is also the only practical way for democratic societies to govern themselves. Otherwise, we would have endless debates, based on a warping of science, concerning what privileges, disguised as "remedies", that one gender should enjoy over the other, based on biological factors. So, too, would responsibilities be assigned in a politically motivated manner.

Equal opportunity, and responsibility, should be accorded to all. Then, let each choose his or her own path.

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Submitted by StayingFit on Sun, 2013-10-20 10:44

It's my observation that feminist women hate biological differences if it results in a disadvantage for them but love them when it gives them an advantage.

For example, a lot of women want reproductive rights but want to deny them to men. They usually base this denial on biology--men don't have the right equipment. Or they want special treatment from an employer if they get pregnant--but think it unfair if the employer refuses to hire them because they might get pregnant and thus need special treatment that costs the employer extra money.

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Submitted by el cid on Sun, 2013-10-20 14:07