“Being a woman is not a natural fact. It’s the result of a certain history. There is no biological or psychological destiny that defines a woman as such… Baby girls are manufactured to become women.”
- Simone de Beauvoir, “Why I am a Feminist” (1975)

 “Black conservatives are hot because conservative women tend to not prescribe [sic] to feminism. And feminism teaches you that if you’re fat, it’s their fault not yours, you shouldn’t have to try to look nice, ever, just be a fat slob and it’s everybody else’s fault not yours: ‘The world’s broken, not you girl!’.”
- Candace Owens, The Rubin Report (2017)

Many people today are reluctant to identify themselves as ‘feminist’: either because they see feminism as a useful political movement that has essentially served its purposes; or because they view feminism as a ‘single-issue’, militant ideology that they cannot identify with. This module is intended to give students an opportunity to reflect philosophically on what claims like this could mean: if we live in a post-feminist era, why do women earn, on average, two thirds of what their male counterparts earn? If we live in post-feminist era, why are women still under-represented in many fields (including politics, science, and academic philosophy)? If feminism is a ‘single-issue’ ideology, why is it that feminists have proposed such a variety of solutions to the above problems, and from such a wide range of political standpoints? Can I still be a feminist if I wear makeup, or am politically conservative, or aspire to become a housewife (or a porn star)? Is there any difference between being a good feminist and just being a good person?

The module begins by drawing attention to the diversity of feminist thought, highlighting three theoretical strands (liberal and libertarian feminism, radical feminism, and Marxist feminism), and the philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir. We go on to apply these theoretical approaches of feminist thought to the following topics: First, we look at some key areas in legal and political philosophy, including justice and identity politics; impartiality and discrimination law; and epistemic oppression and exploitation. Second, we look at some key areas in applied ethics; whether academic philosophy has a transphobia problem; ‘feminine’ beauty norms, gender roles, and religion; and sex work. We also discuss the underlying question of whether feminism discriminates against men, and whether the notion of ‘gender-inclusive’ feminism is a plausible one. We end with a discussion of the current situation of feminism in 2023 public philosophy and beyond.