Bottom Line Feminist Theory: The Dream of a Common Language

This essay discusses the importance of a "bottom-line feminist theory" to engender a degree of cohesiveness amongst the diverse voices within the feminist movement. The author posits that feminists' commitment to diversity has made it difficult to identify a feminist position on specific issues since there may be numerous feminist positions. The author uses the concept of customary international law (CIL) to suggest a methodology for arriving at a middle ground between the extremes of grand theory and subjective narrative. Using CIL's conceptual framework, the author suggests that a normative bottom-line feminist theory can be arrived at by determining the lowest common denominator, that is, a level of generality where significant consensus amongst women may be found. The author concludes that the point is not to develop a static and monolithic "common language," but to find ways to retain women's distinctive voices without forgetting feminism's common goals.