Equality and Non-hierarchy in Marriage
Equality and Non-hierarchy in Marriage
What Do Feminists Really Want?
This chapter defends the continuing relevance of feminist critiques of marriage. It sketches how power inequality, or hierarchy, arises within different-sex marriage against a background of social pressures, injustice, and gendered violence. It then argues that hierarchy in any intimate relationship is wrong in itself, as the ongoing alienation of decision-making power over the activities of a shared life constitutes a harm and fails to respect autonomy. Finally, it argues that friendship is the best model for a non-hierarchical intimate relationship, suggesting that law should treat marriage more like friendship than a traditional union. While emerging from a comprehensive ethical view, this argument dovetails with the author’s previous liberal argument for “minimal marriage.”
Keywords: feminism, equality, hierarchy, marriage, gender equality, housework, gender roles, friendship, marriage reform
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