Feminist Approaches To Bioethics: Theoretical Reflections And Practical Applications

by Rosemarie Tong

No other cluster of medical issues affects the genders as differently as those related to procreation—contraception, sterilization, abortion, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, and genetic screening. Yet, the moral diversity among feminists has led to political fragmentation, foiling efforts to create policies that are likely to serve the interests of the largest possible number of women. In this remarkable book, Rosemarie Tong offers an approach to feminist bioethics that serves as a catalyst, bringing together the varied perspectives on choice, control, and connection. Emphasizing the complexity of feminist debates, she guides feminists toward consensus in thought, cooperation in action, and a world that would have no room for domination and subordination.Tong fairly and comprehensively presents the traditions of both feminist and non-feminist ethics. Although feminist approaches to bioethics derive many insights from nonfeminist ethics and bioethics, Tong shows that their primary source of inspiration is feminist ethics, leading them to ask the so-called “woman question” in order to raise women’s consciousness about the systems, structures, and relationships that oppress them. Feminist bioethicists are, naturally, focused on acting locally in the worlds of medicine and science. Their different feminist voices must be raised at the policy table with one message in order to actually do something to make gender equity a present reality rather than a mere future possibility. Inability to define a plan that guarantees liberation for all women must not prevent feminists from offering a plan that promises to improve the estates of many women. Otherwise, a perspective less appealing to women may fill the gap.

Genres: Feminism

292 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 1996

About the author

Rosemarie Tong is a Distinguished Professor of Health Care Ethics in the Department of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Applied and Professional Ethics at UNC Charlotte. Receiving her Ph.D. in Philosophy from Temple University in 1978, she has come to be internationally known for her contributions to feminist thought and bioethics. Dr. Tong has authored and co-edited thirteen books, including Ethics in Policy Analysis (1985), Controlling our Reproductive Destiny: A Technological and Philosophical Perspective (1994), Feminist Approaches to Bioethics (1996), Linking Visions: Feminist Bioethics, Human Rights, and the Developing World with Ann Donchin and Sue Dodds (2004), New Perspectives in Health Care Ethics: An Interdisciplinary and Crosscultural Approach (2007) and Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction (2008 3rd edition). She has also published over one hundred articles on topics related to feminist theory, reproductive and genetic technology, biomedical research, global bioethics, aging, and healthcare reform.

Reviews

[Athena Macmillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Rosemarie Tong looks at how feminist bioethics differs from traditional, non-feminist concepts; without completely rejecting these previous principles employed in both ethics and bioethics. Instead by investigating both traditional and feminist approaches to bioethics, as well as their practical application, she finds that instead of outright rejection, traditional ethics requires a transformation that will encompass both male and female perspectives in this realm.

This is an incredibly useful book, though arguably too focused on reproductive issues, reinforcing ideas that female issues are the ‘other’ in comparison to the status quo of male and gender neutral issues. Despite this imperfection, this is a well written and in depth look at feminist approaches to bioethics, looking comparatively throughout at classical and feminist ideas in ethics and more specifically bioethics, noting that often autonomy looks different to man than it does to a woman in an attempt to raise awareness about forms of gender oppression that exists even today in the field of medicine and health care.

[Aida · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahem, i am one of the editors...