Catharine MacKinnon

Difference and Dominance: On Sex Discrimination

Reflection Paper

This article talks about questions on gender and equality.

MacKinnon, in this article states that, it speaks to the way gender has
structured thought and perception that mainstream legal and moral
theory tacitly gives the same answer to them both, questions of sameness
and difference. She also stated her view that sex equality law has been so
ineffective for women and socially prevented a chance at being productive
in their lives.
In this article, MacKinnon exposes the sameness and difference
theory of sex equality. This approach states that equality is an
equivalence, not a distinction, and sex is a distinction. In my opinion, Sex
equality law is extremely ineffective at presenting equality for women.
This is difficult when establishing a life that allows women to flourish.
Giving safeguard to their physical safety, self-expression, and respect and
dignity. This article teaches us how sex discrimination law bounds gender
equality by dissimilarity. Which, provides that women should be the same
as men. This is at least one way to incorporate sex equality. Thus, the
question of, is this notion not problematic? Women and men are not the
same, and thus sex equality cannot be attained for women with them
being equal as men. The alternate road of course is being unlike men, but
gender neutrality is the male customary. While it is apparent to feminists
that man has become the gauge of all things. Subsequently, women are
then calculated according to their relation to men.
As this article clearly implies Men are as different from women as
women are from men. This should be argued within our society, and
although men and women are dissimilar in no way implies that one sex
should be treated as lesser to the other. So why is society so threatened
with having women at equal status to men? This ladder has been there far
too long, and it doesnt make any positive note. The difference approach
and the dominance approach stated in this article clear up a lot of things
about sexual equality. The difference approach states that male
supremacy should be the status of the sexes. Men are the dominant and
standard in this approach. In our society however, men are not the
standard. The feminist approach, which is the dominance approach,
appreciates the subordination of women.

I agree with MacKinnon, that we should give women equal power,

and we should hear from them. Let the women be speak and be heard lets
listen to them, and sex equality can really be that. Equal.