Gender ThinkingTemple University Press, 2010 M04 30 - 384 pages How can we accept the gender system in view of its ills? Yet, are we really at liberty to abolish gender differences, "when the gender system gives us benchmarks of personal identity and worth along with primary channels in which to pursue the rewards of love?" With this double question, Steven G. Smith introduces his inquiry into the idea of gender and how it is implicated in love, respect, equality, and personal character. Gender Thinking is the first comprehensive philosophical exploration of the concept of gender Asking the question, what is gender?—that is, what sort of thing do we take femininity and masculinity to be?—Smith considers how gender thinking is interwoven with ideas about human nature. He suggests ways in which ideas about race, class, culture age, temperament, and sexual orientation can be understood from clues found in gender thinking. And he calls for a renegotiated procreative partnership between women and men as the key to the redemption of gender. |
From inside the book
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... reasons that ( 1 ) racial stereo- types are a hindrance to fair dealing with individuals , or ( 2 ) there is ( or isn't ) ... reason that gender is an especially accessible theme for an inquiry into human kinds is that it is more resistant ...
... reason ; the token of woman's inferiority and normative modesty , her long hair , is called her pride . Only one of these twists is Paul's own invention , but no matter where they originate , they all bear witness to the extraordinary ...
... reasons may have dictated this transforma- tion of M. de Charlus , and purely physical ferments may have set his chemistry " working " and made his body gradually change into the category of women's bodies , nevertheless the change that ...
... reason " in which truth and value were anchored . At the same time , however , the rise of humanitarianism and the cult of sen- timent brought a certain movement toward parity in the valuation of masculine and feminine , whence arose ...
... reason and reason - based virtue , and if the character of women be found deficient or deviant in these respects ( we note that the " frail , " " fascinating " sex is defined into such a position ) , then it must be allowed either that ...
Contents
1 | |
5 | |
23 | |
41 | |
4 The Sex Basis of Gender | 85 |
5 Gender Valuation and Selfhood | 139 |
6 Gender and Duality | 205 |
7 Gender and Procreation | 254 |
Realizing Sex | 303 |
Notes | 321 |
Index | 375 |