THE FALLACY OF EASY ACCESS

This article explores both ethical and methodological issues arising f rom feminist research which seeks to highlight diversity among women. Differences between women influence all aspects of the research proces s,including access. The article questions assumptions that female rese archers' access to other women is unproblematic and draws on the autho r's experience of in-depth interviews with mothers of primary school c hildren. It raises questions around the availability of women's time a nd the ethics of pursuing reluctant respondents, as well as the influe nce of complex and shifting differentials of power, which flow between researcher and researched. The article argues that it is important to recognise and articulate one's own subjectivity as a feminist researc her in order to more fully understand the research process.