Essay on IS FEMALE TO MALE AS NATURE IS TO CULTURE
This paper is meant to provide the summary of the article “Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture?” created by Sherry B. Ortner in 1972. In the article the author examines female’s subordination to male cross-culturally and through many eras, basically declaring that females have at all times been symbolically linked with nature. According to the author, nature is inferior to males; thus, females are subordinate to males. Ortner additionally uses own article as the platform to offer crucial political alteration that would improve equality between both genders.
Summary
The genuine handling of ladies along with the relative authority and input differ extremely with cultures. Moreover, the tendency alters over ages in time depending with specific cultural customs (Ortner 1972, p. 5-31). Ortner takes a much closer look in the social organization and understands that this organization provides the overview of the perception given by many societies on the significance of sons in addition to the upmost authority, which belongs to father in a family. The patriarchal governance contributes to divisions in the real accountabilities of either male or female. However, though the female is included in the negative valence, it is vital that there is equal interaction by the two principles for the globe to survive (Ortner 1972, p. 5-31).
Thus, the international depreciation on females is determined with the help of the biological determinism. Males have genes, which experience lack in the females and that naturally make males the overriding sex. As a result, besides females being logically subordinate they are generally contented with own position. This owes to the fact that they feel privileged to be defended and having the opportunity to make the most of the maternal pleasures that according to them gives extremely satisfying living experiences (Ortner 1972, p. 5-31).
So, the fundamental argument of Ortner is that culture is associated with males, and though females are vital participants in the culture, they are aligned more closely with nature. To defend own viewpoint, the author tells the readers that a body of a woman and its functions make her closer to the nature more than a man’s physiology, providing him with more liberty to work in culture. Furthermore, the aim of the culture, in a way, is to rise above the nature. Thus, it is possible to make a conclusion that if ladies are more aligned with nature, they fall socially below men.
To clarify why ladies are linked with nature Ortner asserts that women are the ones who give birth and create novel life. Females are supposed to contribute a large part of own time and body than men, because they have more body organs and functions, for instance, menstruation and breasts, which exist only for the single aim of having children. Mothers at all times have been more connected to youngsters. Certainly, people usually confine ladies to the domestic role, freeing up men to pursue more “cultural” activities, for instance, religion or art (Ortner 1972, p. 5-31). As for kids, they are considered to be the primitive human beings, not yet civilized by the impacts of the culture. As ladies are the ones who raise youngsters, making them sophisticated adults, the author contends women are, therefore, treated as merely the intermediary between culture and nature. Additionally, the author pays attention to the fact that from the psychological point of view, females are more sentimental and emotional than males. Thus, men are more inclined to abstract, “cultures” thoughts, whilst female’s thoughts are more connected to other individuals.
The most interesting part in the article is when the author herself admits some of her arguments may be simply refuted. Ortner herself provides the instances, such as European courtly love, where ladies were dignified as the keepers of the culture and yet were subordinate to males. She also admits that women’s sentimental rends may be the outcome, and not a reason of the male-dominated globe. Such an extensive and long-lasting mindset must possess many complex causes and it is worth the respect that author admits it may be difficult to explain everything with only one theory.
Conclusion
To sum up, in “Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture,” the author-Ortner- shows the readers the clarification why ladies have been generally considered to be second class to males right through the history, by asserting women’s subordinate position is the outcome of the mindset that culture is superior to the nature, that culture is male’s method of subduing the nature. Ortner adds that female’s body and psychology is symbolically identifiable with the nature, whilst males are more associated with culture, therefore, resulting in females being considered inferior to males.
