Microinequalities Inflicted on Women

Feb 14, 2012

Why is it that a woman can lead a country, yet women are slower to be served in coffee shops? In the West, women and men share equal status under the law. But in countless practical ways, women experience inequality on a daily basis.

In Australia, Julia Gillard is the country’s first female prime minister. In the U.S., Hillary Clinton set a precedent in 2008 with her campaign to become the first female president, and is now secretary of state. In both these countries, and throughout the West, formal barriers to discrimination against women and other minorities were largely abolished decades ago. And in that formal way, officially sanctioned discrimination is largely a thing of the past.

Yet, inequality is a fact of life for women throughout their economic, social, and political lives. We discuss those pervasive inequalities for women, in the form of what Samantha Brennan calls microinequalities.

Samantha Brennan is a professor of political philosophy at the University of Western Ontario.

You may also like

MAY 13, 2025 Video

Advancing Global Health in a Moment of Fracturing Partnerships

In this event from our Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice series, practitioners examined the impact of today's geopolitical environment on the future of public health.

APR 29, 2025 Podcast

Interrogating Our “Norms” with Professor Tanisha Fazal

University of Minnesota's Professor Tanisha Fazal joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss shifting geopolitical norms in a moment of global transition.

Vote to America Great Again billboard. CREDIT: Quinn Dombrowski (CC).

APR 23, 2025 Article

Erase & Rewind: The Politics of Nostalgia & its Ethical Implications

Populist leaders like Donald Trump & Vladimir Putin frequently employ nostalgic rhetoric for political gain. Tinatin Japaridze analyzes the impact & ethical downsides of this strategy.

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation