Autonomy and Modesty

    "Sex and the City of God," a discussion about issues of modern sexuality in light of traditional Catholic teaching, was an especially interesting experience for me, due mostly to our ongoing discussion about the rights of women and the place of gender roles in society, both historically and in a modern context. In particular, I found the conversation regarding autonomy to be both intriguing and woefully underdeveloped. Although we have had a chance to discuss this issue in class, I would have liked to have seen the reactions of the other panelists to the question of autonomy.

    Essentially my question is: what are the different uses of the word “autonomy” and how are they used? It seemed to me that autonomy, traditionally considered a virtue for mankind, was looked down upon when applied to women. Where autonomy is a requisite for nations, a point of honor for working men, and a worthy goal for servants, it appears in the minds of many to be a vice in women. “Autonomy” to these thinkers is a state of reckless individualism, a cult of the ego, and an aggressive independence. Rather than encompassing self-determination, “autonomy” seems to be a state with very definite requirements. It seemed to me that the more conservative members of the panel believed that women’s autonomy encompassed a mandatory career, strictly controlled childbirth, and frequent sexual activity.

    Yet this does not seem like an adequate definition of autonomy. An independent man can choose to take a job or engage in sexual contact. He is not required to do either. The same should and indeed must apply to women. This recalls a point made by Mary Wollstonecraft on modesty. When men have license to do what they desire, they tend to look down on women who follow the same policy. Passive women, however, are called modest and virtuous. A state of autonomy is a state in which one is free to follow one’s desires and make an honest attempt at happiness. It may be a necessary condition that an autonomous person does not follow blindly, but that does not necessarily imply a lack of religiosity. An autonomous person is completely free to choose religion, and in fact many do. Thus, it would be wrong to state that autonomous persons are more socially dangerous than what is presumably a more docile or tractable person.

~John Minser