Diane Meyers' Feminist Perspectives on the Self, Essay

Diane Meyers' Feminist Perspectives on the Self, - Essay Example This continues to perpetuate the idea that females are somehow secondary. This has led many women to lose or never develop a sense of self identity and autonomy. Modern feminists, like Diane Meyers, feel that in order for woman to gain a proper identity, sense of self and true equality it will require complete reforming or completely inventing new philosophies with the intention of elevating not diminishing woman. History There is a distinct difference between sex and gender. Biologically speaking, sex refers to the genetic determination, sex organs, and levels of hormones. However gender is something different. People’s gender identities are not always in agreement with their sex organs; as in the case of the transgendered, for example (Gender spectrum).Western philosophy prefers to see the world in a far more black and white, hence male and female kind of world. Much of U.S. perspectives are guided by Christian ideologies that are renowned for elevating the value of men and diminishing and limiting the place of woman. Gender in modern society is a matter of learned behaviors and indoctrination to behave appropriately for their sex. This is reflected daily in the purchasing of pink clothing, baby dolls, and toy sewing machines for girls, while boys receive blue clothing, dump trucks, and play weapons. From the day you are born to the day you die social structures and gender traditions will dictate who we are and who we become based, primarily, on whether we are male or female (Dietert, and Dentice 121). Discussion Once we are ingrained with the ideas of our gender identity taught to us by others, anything that varies from that may seem wrong, freakish, and makes changing quite difficult. She identifies women can never gain a sense of self identity or autonomy in modern society as long as society is working with the principles founded on male dominant ideologies. She believes existing society is far to andocentric, or male dominant, it by nature demeans females as secondary and it works continually perpetuate make dominance and control (Meyers). For example, a recent cases involving courts giving dirty cops a free pass and refusing to prosecute and officer accused of rape. Men protecting men from accountability in the crimes against women is the truest example of male dominance. (Bennetts ) In order for woman to gain a sense of self identity, autonomy, and true equality is to restructure outdated, male dominated, and offensive concepts it will be necessary to rethink the activities of motherhood, developing ethics of care, exploring separatist practices, and re-conceptualization of the definition of autonomy. Motherhood has always been perceived by the male dominated society as actions that were biological imperatives and instinct. However, in the modern era mothers like Susan Smith and Casey Anthony are not at all women that are naturally meant to be or are capable of being good mothers. In other words, being a good mother is a mo ral and ethical choice that women make, which means they are capable of thinking, being moral, and ethical people. Women have been referred to as somehow morally inferior to men because they are not capable of applying morality, logic, or wisdom due to their very emotional tendencies. This, also, reflects back to Christian ideologies, Eve disobeyed God and tricked Adam into eating the apple and apparently every female,