Tara Caltenback
Homo Economics
Dale Carrico
11/2015
The Contemporary Sexual Contract
Carole
Pateman’s, The Sexual Contract, stands in defense with feminist
arguments and stands against inequality between genders in the Social
Contract.
It speaks on the relationship between men and women in a patriarchal
society. A woman and man’s relationship is determined by the man based
off of history and how it is passed on. Pateman also speaks on the shift
from “classical patriarchy” to the contemporary
understanding of patriarchy. In either sense, Pateman argues that
there is no shift for the rights of women.
The
argument of this article talks about how women are preserved in the
world. Within these contracts created by men in high command, women are
placed
within particular parts of the texts. Pateman talks about women being
brought up in the marriage, prostitution, and motherhood contracts.
These contracts give men the “authority” to control women in any sense.
An example is stated in the marriage contract
where men are able to sexually use their wives however they please,
even against the woman’s consent. Contracts can be seen with many
issues. One including the fact that only men are considered
“individuals.” Pateman says “sexual difference is political difference.
Sexual difference is the difference between freedom and subjection.”
This statement runs true for most of the contracts that were created by
men of the patriarchy. Being a man means there is privilege and freedom
just by being a male. By being a woman, there
is a lack of what is to be considered “true” identity and ability to
live in society without being belittled.
This
piece speaks with feminist arguments that are much more contemporary
than contracts that have been mentioned. Pateman empowers women in
society as
there isn’t equality, like there should be. The Sexual Contract enables
women to become more equal in comparison to men. It also calls out the
problematic ideas other contracts like the Social Contract offer to
spread around society.
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