Liberal Feminism
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Rooted in classical liberalism (a political
philosophy with origins in the 16th century).
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Liberalism is the underpinning of Enlightenment
Thought (the Age of Reason).
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Age of Reason emerged in the 17th & 18th
century in Western Europe.
Basic Tenets of Liberal Philosophy
Individual Rights (including property)
 Freedom of choice; freedom from confining
embraces of other persons or institutions.
 Critique of religion
 Values science/reason over religion
 Commitment to social progress/change
 Science/reason as a basis for social change
 Embraces achievement over ascription
 Social position should be based on merit not
birth (critiques idea of biological superiority)
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Basic tenets cover three key forms of freedom:
Economic freedom
 Political freedom
 Religious freedom
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Liberal Approach to Equality
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Equality of Opportunity Model
 Freedom to chose education and career.
 Need a level playing field—everyone
should have equal access to opportunities.
 No legal or social barriers to economic
opportunities.
 Education, hiring, promotions based on
achievement.
Three Stages of Liberalism
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1. Classical Liberalism:
 Roots in revolt of growing middle classes
against mercantilism (government control of
commerce & industry).
 Adam Smith: Free market ideology (no
government interference)
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Revolt against rule by monarchy (French and
American Revolutions)
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2. Modern Liberalism (20th century):
A response to the problems of classical liberalism.
Under classical liberalism:
 Economic power concentrated in the hands of a few.
 Economic elite exercised control over governments.
 Large populations of poor; urban crowding;
 Modern liberalism allowed limited government
interference (regulations, social security) in order to
protect the liberty of individuals.
 Government programs to equalize opportunity (civil
rights)
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Examples
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Can you name an example of a law or
policy that allows/ed limited government
interference in order to ensure the liberty of
individuals?
Examples Continued
Affirmative Action
 VAWA
 Protective legislation (laws that prohibit
women from working in dangerous jobs)
 Labor regulations (wage, hour and safety
laws)
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3. Neo-liberalism (1990’s)
 A shift back to classical liberalism—
hands off.
 Limited government regulation
 Cuts to social safety net
 Arguments against governments hand in
equalizing playing field.
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Enlightenment thought was rooted in thinking
of white propertied men (a reaction of growing
merchant class/middle class to nobility)
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Not extended to women or racial minorities.
Liberal Feminism: A Rights Based
Movement
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Focus on equality of opportunity
First Wave (1800’s): Suffrage movement
 Extend rights (voting, property) to women
 Nineteenth Amendment passed in 1920
 Focus also on social reform
Second Wave (1960’s)
 Focus on discrimination in education and
employment (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act;
Affirmative Action)
 Focus on reproductive rights
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Liberal Feminism
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In line with classical liberalism, liberal
feminism sees social positions (gender, class,
status) not as biologically determined but as
originating through social learning/custom.
In sum, a two pronged approach
 Revise social learning (raise consciousness,
encourage women to resist the internalization
of social roles, teach girls to take on nontraditional roles)
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Legal reform:
 Remove barriers to opportunity
 Extend rights to women
Critique of Liberal Feminism
Overlooks race and class inequities.
 Emphasizes change within existing system
 No critique/analysis of systemic forms of
oppression (oppression is institutionalized
and “necessary” to the functioning of
capitalist patriarchy)
 Focus on individual rights overlooks
connections between people (collectivist
focus)
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Class Discussion
Scenario 1:
 You are a liberal feminist and have been asked to serve
on a committee that is addressing the problem of sex
selection. Sex selection is a practice where a
woman/couple abort a fetus because the fetus is not the
sex that they desire. Because females are often less
valued than males, this practice often results in the
abortion of female fetuses.
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Question: What is your position on this practice.
Scenario 2:
 You are a liberal feminist and you have been
asked to serve on a committee that is addressing
the problem of toxic workplaces. The
committee must decide if they should bar
women from working in a battery factory that
emits toxins. These toxins can cause fetal
defects in both pregnant women and women
who might become pregnant sometime in the
future. These toxins also cause sterility in both
men and women.
 What is your decision?
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