Is modern feminism wrong? A new group of thinkers claims we cannot do away with biology. Their critics dismiss them as another movement without good knowledge about science.
Outrage! Men and women really ARE different
Is modern feminism wrong? A new group of thinkers claims we cannot do away with biology. Their critics dismiss them as another movement without good knowledge about science.
What's happening?
"One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman." This is a saying by the philosopher Simone de BeauvoirA French feminist philosopher best known for her book The Second Sex..
For many years, feministsPeople who call for women's rights with the aim of achieving gender equality. There are different ideas within the feminist movement. have argued that differences between men and women are caused by social factors, not biology.
Now some thinkers say that we have got it all wrong. They call themselves "reactionary feminists".
Men, they say, are biologically more aggressiveLikely to attack or be angry. , while women are biologically more protective.
True feminism, they argue, should stress that women are different to men.
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But critics say this is just bad science. It means drawing a line between "natural" and "social" that does not really exist.
There is no way of proving that human beings have "natural" differences that are not about the societies we live in - because no humans live alone and not in a society.
And, they claim, even if some instinctsThe way people or animals naturally react to something, without thinking about it. could be shown to be "natural", this would not make them better than "social" instincts.
Some worry the arguments of the reactionary feminists is also helping those who do not believe women should have equal rights in society.
Is modern feminism wrong?
Yes! Men and women really are different. We should not ignore that.
No! Biology does not really matter. Some men and women act in different ways because they have been brought up to do so. We should all be free of these expectations about how we behave.
Keywords
Simone de Beauvoir - A French feminist philosopher best known for her book The Second Sex.
Feminists - People who call for women's rights with the aim of achieving gender equality. There are different ideas within the feminist movement.
Aggressive - Likely to attack or be angry.
Instincts - The way people or animals naturally react to something, without thinking about it.
Outrage! Men and women really ARE different
Glossary
Simone de Beauvoir - A French feminist philosopher best known for her book The Second Sex.
Feminists - People who call for women's rights with the aim of achieving gender equality. There are different ideas within the feminist movement.
Aggressive - Likely to attack or be angry.
Instincts - The way people or animals naturally react to something, without thinking about it.