Romantic Love - a Feminist Conundrum?

Abstract

Romantic love has been read as a radical force capable of breaking down entrenched social barriers. Philosophers and sociologists have argued that the connection of love with freedom and equality can be liberating and empowering for women; however, this assertion has been hotly contested by many feminists. Shulamith Firestone describes romantic love as the pivot of oppression for women—a holocaust, a hell, and a sacrifice. In this way, she echoes Simone de Beauvoir, who argues that, given the unequal position of men and women, love becomes “a curse” that confines women in the feminine universe. Show more