Psychological normality might be conventionally defined in terms of one's capacity to act as if one's social and political environment were entirely neutral. That is, one is psychologically normal if one does not react defensively in relation to one's environment. If one does, however, have defensive reactions, then this is taken as a sign of abnormality in an individual.
Yet, it is neither philosophically necessary nor justified that one must see normality in these terms. Rarely are experiments performed to determine whether the status quo is in fact rational, rather than being insane. The status quo is indeed, normative -- but only in the tautological sense that it is the status quo. This by no means indicates that it is healthy, or even reasonable, to embrace the status quo.
When discussing the need for feminism with men, I generally find that most men see no need for it. Their own experiences tell them that their social environments are generally impartial (to them, as men). They do not feel the discriminatory practices that are leveled against women. Therefore, they can't imagine that these practices are taking place.
Men who are skeptical about the existence of gender bias in the general social environment assume that men and women inhabit the same social realm, where attitudes are gender neutral. But this is only because men experience social attitudes towards them -- as men -- to be gender neutral. In reality, men and women do not actually experience the same social realm, even though it may seem the same in all sorts of concrete and tangible respects, for what seems to be the "same" social environment is one that simultaneously treats men in a gender-neutral fashion whilst treating women in a gender-biased fashion.
A psychologically "normal" man would be one who views his environment as being neutral toward him. A "normal" woman would be, in the tautological sense, one who sees her environment as being neutral toward her. Herein lies the problem because a woman who experiences a gender-biased environment as being neutral is not, in fact, normal in the sense of being psychologically healthy. Rather she is in extreme denial about the nature of a patriarchal society.
Yet, it is neither philosophically necessary nor justified that one must see normality in these terms. Rarely are experiments performed to determine whether the status quo is in fact rational, rather than being insane. The status quo is indeed, normative -- but only in the tautological sense that it is the status quo. This by no means indicates that it is healthy, or even reasonable, to embrace the status quo.
When discussing the need for feminism with men, I generally find that most men see no need for it. Their own experiences tell them that their social environments are generally impartial (to them, as men). They do not feel the discriminatory practices that are leveled against women. Therefore, they can't imagine that these practices are taking place.
Men who are skeptical about the existence of gender bias in the general social environment assume that men and women inhabit the same social realm, where attitudes are gender neutral. But this is only because men experience social attitudes towards them -- as men -- to be gender neutral. In reality, men and women do not actually experience the same social realm, even though it may seem the same in all sorts of concrete and tangible respects, for what seems to be the "same" social environment is one that simultaneously treats men in a gender-neutral fashion whilst treating women in a gender-biased fashion.
A psychologically "normal" man would be one who views his environment as being neutral toward him. A "normal" woman would be, in the tautological sense, one who sees her environment as being neutral toward her. Herein lies the problem because a woman who experiences a gender-biased environment as being neutral is not, in fact, normal in the sense of being psychologically healthy. Rather she is in extreme denial about the nature of a patriarchal society.
1 comment:
This is so right. As a result thousands of therapists think the road to getting better is to make you think that you are inhabiting a neutral environment with absolutely no regard whatsoever for what is perhaps permanently destroyed in this process of adapting.
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