it has thus shown that equality can only be exercised when there is autonomy ie when decisions capabilities and personal development do not depend on others furthermore feminism provides a critical view of the individualistic concept of autonomy conceiving autonomy instead as relational mackenzie and stoljar first equality of resources and equality of opportunities are not enough to put it another way a policy of equal opportunities needs to take account of the differences in starting conditions between men and women in terms of socialization the history of male accumulation of power the continuing sexual division of labour and discriminatory sociocultural patterns