兩性平等已被視為是文明禱的的重要表徵，然它首先必須面對性別差異問題的挑戰。即所謂的性別平等，是透過正視差異，還是弭平差異方能證成？換周話說，忽略性別的差異，而施予形式平等的對待，是體現了平等的精神，還是背反？ 在女性主義中，有所謂的「平等與差異」的論戰，平等女性主義者(equality feminists)宣稱唯有透過將男女視為等同，方能體現平等擺脫婦女的屈從地位；而差異女性主義者(difference feminists)則認為男女天生即存在差異，我們應在此差異的基礎上，積極尋求兩性平等的條件。 在《婦女的屈從》一書中，彌爾以一完全的平等原則來取代原有的男女屈從關係。然單憑以共領域的同等開放，真能完全體現兩性平等的真義嗎？本文擬以此作為探究的起點，去檢視此一議題的可能性探討。

　　　　　The gender quality has become a mark of civilized society, but it has to face the challenge of gender difference. What we called "gender quality" is to be able to look difference in the face or get rid of difference altogether? In another words, to ignore the difference between men and women, and treat them in a formal equality, is to incarnate the spirit of equality or the contrary? In Feminism, there is a debate of "equality vs. difference", the equality feminists declare that the only way to practice gender equality and the subjection of women is to treat women as men; but the difference feminists are in the contrary, they believe that we were born different, so the possibility of gender equality should base on the difference, and find out the condition to achieve gender equality. In The Subjection of Women, Mill replaced the subordination by a perfect principle of equality. But is it the real meaning of gender equality by the opening of public affairs? This question is the starting point of this research.