The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements are sexual misconduct survivor movements, interrogating in particular the entertainment and media industries. These movements aim to dismantle power structures in these industries by raising-up systemically silenced voices of victims (survivors) of sexual misconduct. I analyze comedian Louis CK's apology for his own sexual misconduct as an exemplar text, and argue that that there are good feminist reasons for these movements to critically engage with his perpetrator statement. As such, the argument that I propose here-that certain perpetrator explanations are legitimate to these movements-is tendentious. I will support my argument by making an appeal to feminist social theory, which focuses on the cultural factors contributing to sexual misconduct. If my argument is compelling, then other perpetrator statements could also be integral to the movement's aims.
Procreation—the act of having and raising biological children—is generally not a life choice that is subject to moral scrutiny. In this article, we argue that decisions to procreate are morally evaluable, and that such evaluation reveals that prospective parents have a defeasible obligation to prioritize adoption over procreation. The obligation is defeated by the lack of desire to become a parent, and also in certain cases where legal hurdles are logistically onerous. We conclude that those prospective parents who are unaffected by the defeasibility conditions have a duty to prioritize adoption, regardless of the strength, power, or depth of the desire for biological offspring.
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