Relational Autonomy as a Base against Oppression

Returning to Sexual and Reproductive Rights Movements in Feminism

Abstract

    “Feminist bioethics” is a movement that connects the field of bioethics to feminism. This paper primarily aims to review previous studies, regarding a topic in feminist bioethics: feminist relational autonomy, which I define as the concept in which autonomy is argued as a base against oppression. In this paper, I first provide an overview of criticisms against being “relational” and “feminist,” in feminist relational autonomy, and admit that the argument of relational autonomy, which is not truly feminist in a sense, has certain advantages in a philosophical debate. Next, I return to movements of sexual and reproductive rights in feminism as an origin of feminist bioethics and feminist relational autonomy. Thus, I propose that advocating feminist relational autonomy as a base against oppression has historical significance and is still required as it is an integral part of feminism.