By : Laksmi Amalia

Media volunteer
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Studies about bioethics are usually conducted in response to incidences of inhumane medical experimentation,such as the testing conducted in concentration camps during Nazi Germany or the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment.  These studies emphasise the importance of ethics in biological and medical research.Additionally, studies about bioethics allow for issues in the medical field, such as euthanasia, to be examined from philosophical, social and legal perspectives.

However, traditional bioethical studies are sometimes inadequate in accomodating certain issues, particularly those concerning minority groups. In response to this,new studieslabelled as “feminist bioethics” have begun to emerge. Compared to traditional bioethical studies, feminist bioethical studies take a more comprehensive approach to examining various ethical issues in the fields of medicine and biology by considering the existence and influence of factors such as race, religion, gender and socio-economic status. The feminist bioethical approach focuses on the specific needs of marginalised communities, which are adapted in accordance with peoples’ personal views as well as the temporal and spacial context.

Feminist bioethics grew out of a thought movement which sought to analysevarious issues arising in the fields of health, medicine and biology. Issues such as abortion, provision of endometrial cancer scans, reproductive health in the LGBTIQ community and administration of vaccines were among those which the thought movement attempted to resolve through a feminist-bioethical approach. The approach of feminist bioethics not only provides better support for marginalised groups but also brings forward the freedom for each individual to make decisions free of pressure from external parties.

An example of a medical issue which the feminist bioethical movement has tried to analyse and resolve is the administration of the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine,which is used to prevent cervical cancer in female adolescents. In some countries parents will refuse the HPV vaccine for their daughters because cervical cancerhas been associated with the pratice of unsafe sex. These people are reluctant to allow their daughters to be vaccinated because the reason for its administration, namely reproductive and sexual health, is a sensitive matter which is seldom discussed.

If medical practitioners were to use a traditional bioethical approach to persuade society about the importance of the HPV vaccine they might choose to forcefully implement the vaccination program without any consultation or involvement from the public.  Additionally, a traditional bioethical approach would implement the HPV vaccine policies and program without consideration of race, religion, gender or sexuality.

However, if health practitioners were to choose a feminist bioethical approach to the HPV vaccine issue then the planning and implementation of the vaccine policy and program would involve members of the local community, as well as take into consideration various factors including local knowledge and community values. With such an approach the community would have far more appreciation for the importance of the HPV vaccine and thus take an active role in its implementation.

The feminist bioethical approach has a had a positive impact in the resolution of various issues in the fields of health, medicine, law and biology. Among other things, the feminist bioethical approach has encouraged legislative and regulative changes which afford more support to marginalised people and give all people better freedom of choice. For example, after a group of legal practitioners used a feminist bioethical approach in their analysis of the “Third Gender Law” in Germany, babies born as hermaphrodites (i.e. their gender cannot be definitely classified as either male or female) now have the freedom to choose their gender.

(This is article is based on a presentation given by Emma van den Terrell about “Feminist Bioethics” at the Rifka Annisa Women’s Crisis Centre auditorium on July 2 2014).