Assignment 2: The Sexual Contract
To my understanding the meaning of civil society is a patriarchy society which is seen through the lens of male superiority. The woman is subordinate to men as stated by Pateman, “Civil freedom is a masculine attribute and depends upon patriarchal right” (2). A women’s only right or should I say incorporation in the civil sphere would be to serve her husband. To fulfill her ‘wifely’ duties, in signing a marriage contract she is binding herself to a man as his property. She has no say as she is subjected by contract to her husband. Women are not seen as individuals and are not “civilly free”. Pateman states, “What it means to be an ’individual’, a maker of contracts and civilly free, is revealed by the subjection of women within the private sphere” (11).
This contradicts the idea of individual (referring to equality), if women are believed to be subordinate to men, why is a contract needed if it is already ‘understood’ that they are not viewed as individuals? In a sphere that is not civil, a woman would indeed need a contract because she would be an equal individual with the same rights as a man. According to The Sexual Contract, “Nor does Locke, for example, explain why the marriage contract is necessary when women are declared to be naturally subject to men, There are other ways in which a union between a man and his natural subordinate could be established, but, instead Locke holds that it is brought into being through contract, which is an agreement between two equals” (54). In a sphere that is not civil a woman would be free, it would have already be known and recognized that she too is equal and entitled to the innate rights that men hold. When I think about how far women have come in fighting inequality I can’t help but feel somber about how hard we fought and still are fighting for equal rights. Woman would have the choice to go into contract with another person or choose not to. There wouldn’t have to be laws and contracts stating that women are equal to men because it would be natural. I used to think that it is natural for a person to be kind and loving that we are taught to hate but I’m not so sure anymore… Why do we need declarations stating our rights, why do we contacts and laws if we are all equal amongst one another?ual
