Summary Of Gender And Race By Sally Haslanger

In her 2000 paper, Gender and Race: “(What) Are They? (What) Do We Want Them to Be?”, philosopher Sally Haslanger states that in dismantling current frameworks of race and gender, we should acknowledge that there are positive aspects to these constructs, or positive aspects to how they have developed over time. Haslanger elaborates, explaining that the systemic oppression of individuals based on where they fall within these categories may result in those seeking change to call for their radical elimination, but we should not be certain that eradicating these concepts and preventing the acknowledgment of these differences is beneficial in the long-term. Fundamentally, I agree with Haslanger. I believe that as a result of historical movements and in-group unity in the face of persecution, gender and race can provide solace
Even outside of the Black community, other marginalized groups formed their own coalitions and organizations for empowerment which was pivotal to the various cultural renaissances. The unity within these communities in the face of oppression is imperative to any potential success in combating these social issues. Furthermore, as Haslanger mentions, gender and race are visible features of an individual (to an extent). Entirely disregarding the importance of these differences, or rather the importance of the experiences that come with these identities, would be an obstacle to progress rather than a vehicle for it. But one might object that holding onto these conceptions only prolongs the tirade of systemic oppression. That if we cling to these very flawed ideologies, we are ultimately upholding the systems of oppression that we wish to combat, and that these groups would benefit greatly from the dismantling of these