Female and Male Voices in Social Work

Abstract

Drawing on the work of Carol Gilligan, the author analyzes the rift between clinical social work practitioners and academicians and researchers in terms of gender. The ways in which social work clinicians speak primarily with female voices and social work academicians speak primarily with male voices are examined. The author argues that the female voice has been suppressed by the prevailing male model of knowledge development in the university and the distrust women have in their own voice. Suggestions are made about ways to unite the female and male voices in social work.