Women's Studies 2270A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Feminist Legal Theory, Postmodern Feminism, Liberal Feminism
13 Feb 2018
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Reading: martha chamallas, three generations of feminsit legal theory p. 17- Generations of legal theory do not exist in nature/history; they"re scholarly constructions. Concentrated on dismantling the intricate system of sex-based legal distinctions that had been established purportedly to protect women: ppl argued that protection through the law was harmful to women b/c it served to restrict their lives. Claim: because women were the same as men in all relevant aspects, they deserved access to all public institutions, benefits and opportunities on the same terms as men . Liberal feminists share a commitment to individual autonomy and choice and insist that these freedoms be afforded to women as well as men. Sometimes they"re called assimilationists" b/c their arguments tend not to challenge the standards, rules, or structures themselves, but focus on equal access within their framework. Can translate liberal feminism into legal reform, generally requiring incremental changes and expansion of current structures to make room for women.
