2. Global Gender Relations Flashcards
Gender refers to the
Social, cultural, political constructions of what men and women are like
How is gender wrongly used?
To describe biological differences
This reproduces inequality
Sexes vs gender
Sexes = biology
Gender = constructions
Feminism
Constructed from the viewpoint of those who have experienced discrimination and marginalisation
Women are a majority on this planet
But still a minority in terms of power
Largest social group
Feminist theories are
Bottom-up views of the world
Assumptions and constructions are perpetuated (Peterson 2005)
Some behaviours e.g nurture and love are either ignored or devalued as emotional behaviour (England 1993)
UK 40+ pay gap
Huge 14/15% (ASHE, 2017)
Office for national statistics
CEO’s and Senior management genders
30% women
70% men
UK Pay gap
19.7% pay gap
6th worse EU state
CEO and senior management pay gap
25-30%
Why is there a pay gap?
Unsupportive family policies
Discrimination
Feminist theories
Liberal- 19th Century
Historical Materialism- late 19th Century
Second-Wave Radical Feminism- 1950s/60s
Standpoint Feminism
Poststructuralist Feminism 1980s-
Liberal Feminism year and people
19th Century
Enlightenment and Suffragettes
E.g Emily Pankhurst and Eleanor Rathbone
Liberal Feminism ideas
- Women’s relative status in society is a measure of progress in society
- Societal position of women not ordained by god or nature but determined by society
- Women like men are rational so have the right to be equal
- The way they are perceived effects of discrimination
FOCUSES ON SECURING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN
19th Century position of women
Confined to private sphere of home and family
Represented by the male as the head of the household
Women not allowed to work for a wage, confined to home unpaid labour
Marginalised from public life
Historical Materialism date and people
Karl Marx
Late 19th Century
Historical Materialism key ideas
- Capitalism and private property are oppressive
- Capitalism creates new forms of social discrimination and subordination
- Distinction between paid labour and necessary SOCIAL REPRODUCTION of labour
Issues with historical Materialism
Silent on women
Merely a conceptual framework for understanding discrimination
Second Wave Radical Feminism years
1950s-1960s
Inspired by Marxist ideas but also contest them
Second wave radical feminism key ideas
- Critical of dominant gender roles
Introduced wider issues:
- Sexuality
- Reproductive rights
- Working and social inequalities
Patriarchy = male domination has become institutionalised
Marriage reinforce roles of men and women: property of husband
Standpoint feminism key ideas
Women and men occupy radically different life worlds
- institutionalised society discrimination, experience so different can’t talk about similarities
Gender identities forged through socialisation
Feminine should be celebrated- women’s experiences of nurturing and caring should be central to society
Unique experiences of women should be celebrated
Roles shouldn’t be criticised
Issues with standpoint feminism
Attribute too much difference to biological
ESSENTIALISING
Standpoint issue with second wave
2nd wave devalues feminine characteristics
