Aaron Wharton

Chapter 7: 228-245

Global Feminism. According to Tong, feminists in general need to work together with other women who are oppressed in some way and with other feminists, to help establish the equality of women and men in countries around the globe. Also, in light of the fact that not every woman is the same, indeed, the term woman includes many diversified individuals as well as groups of women, global feminism must include different classes, cultures, and ethnicities, with different customs, beliefs, and traditions. Global feminism must meet this diversity, says Tong, in a suitable way to minimize a culture-clashing separation and to unite women with the many differences they have. In contrast to this idea that celebrating diversity is the goal, some feminist believe it is celebrating and understanding the sameness of all women, that will unite women around the globe.

However, the differences women have with each other have not been reconciled, as these differences tend to distract and separate groups of women rather than unite them together. For example, looking at the global scale, First World women and Third World women discuss oppression of women. Tong says some Third World women believe not only that First World women are "arrogant know-it-alls, who are totally ignorant about real oppression" (p. 230), but also these First World women contribute to Third World women's oppression through the use of products made by multi-national corporations that exploit the labor of Third World women.

The last important issue in this section on global feminism is ethical relativism. This idea comes in to play when global feminists encounter different customs and traditions that could seem as an unethical or inhumane treatment of women to outsiders, yet are sanctioned within such communities that have these customs and traditions, and may even be sanctioned by women there. So how do global feminists unite women in a diverse global woman community, but also how do they deal with the variety of treatment in the many societies and countries around the world that not every one deems ethical? Ethical relativism helps by asking this question about such customs and traditions: Do the practices serve a fundamental need, a universal need for women? Instead of asking is the practice right or wrong, ask instead, does it meet a need for the survival of women.

The conclusion to this section is summed up that friendship for women is necessary for unity. Whether that friendship is about diversity of women, or about their sameness, or about the actions they take together, friendship will help unite women around the globe to end oppression of women.