Irigaray and the Rhythm of Two

This article offers a general discussion of Irigaray's notion of sexual difference, with particular reference to her most recent work. It argues that having undertaken a critique of patriarchy as a metaphysics that appropriates all to 'le même,' Irigaray emphasises in her recent work her rejection of 'le multiple' as a beyond of metaphysics through her elaboration of a two rhythms philosophy. To do so she turns to Hegel and employs a dialectical model to reconstruct identity as two, which enables her to continue the feminist project and to envisage a democratic politics whereby citizenship is constituted according to gender.