4. Feminist Families and Households Flashcards
What was Wave One of feminism
De jure, politics, votes and laws
What was wave Two of Feminism
De facto, suffragettes, safe abortion, rights and liberal
What was Wave Three of Feminism
Domestic rights, reclaiming slurs
What type of theory is feminism
Conflict
along with Marxism
What was the perspective of female sociologists
political movement focused on women’s oppression and struggle to end it
society has take a malestream viewpoint
What is patriarchy
describes society based on male domination
A system or ideology of male power over women
How do feminists view women’s role in `families
critical view -tive impact of female lives
Do not believe women are biologically suited to housewife and mother roles
society has constructed this role for them
How do adverts from 50 years ago portray women?
Housewife, take care of man, used for female ideology. Told to stay where they belong, mocked etc
how do children learn their gender role
families actively promote gender roles
toys provided are gendered
clothes, behaviour that’s expected
What is a boy stereotypical gendered approach
help dad with DIY
provide for the family
slave like view of women
What is a girl stereotypical gendered approach
help mum with cooking and cleaning
Society prepares you for this idea, and how you will be accepted if you conform
Who benefits from the family
females in families uphold the patriarchal society
male benefits and women lose out
How does Jesse Bernard 1982 support this?
marriage is more beneficial for men
men need it more, married men have better mental and physical health
opposite is true for women
women report more unhappiness
What are the four types of feminism
Marxist
Liberalist
Radical
Difference
Who are Marxist Feminists
family contributes to maintenance of capitalism which is main cause of female oppression
What is Social Reproduction of Labour power? MX
Women, produce maintain and service the workforce
more likely to be paid less
What is Social control of the working class?
MX
be good parents means work boring unrewarding jobs to provide for family’s material comforts which stops revolting
How does it act as a safety valve?
MX
women provide emotional support to men and absorb anger which prevents frustrations spilling over into workplace
How are women a ‘reserve army of cheap labour’? MX
taken on when workers and needed, let go when no longer required
return to roles as unpaid domestic labour
What did Fran Ansley 1972 say?
pt 1
When wives play traditional role of ‘takers of shit’ they absorb their husbands legitimate anger at their own powerlessness and oppression.
What did Fran Ansley 1972 say?
pt 2
With every worker provided with a sponge to soak up his possibly revolutionary ire, the bosses rest more secure.
Who are Radical Feminists?
Society is based on patriarchy, men are the enemy as they exploit and oppress women which needs to be changed
changing the law is not enough to end oppression
How do radicals see this in the family?
men exploit unpaid domestic labour and sexual services of women, dominating them through domestic violence and the threat or reality of sexual violence
What do women need to do? RD
overturn patriarchy
practice separatism
act independently to men
consider political lesbianism, heterosexual involve sleeping with the enemy
What did Germaine Greer say in 2000? RD
I believe that there should be all female households as an alternative to the heterosexual family
What is the pay gap? RD
11.9%
What percent of British women are CEOs?
RD
23.7% women
How many women in parliament? RD
32% house of commons
26% house of lords
What does the 1990 Marital Rape Act allow?
Men could no longer rape their wives without consent- it was a criminal offence
They could have done this before
How are Marxists and Radical Feminist criticised
women are in dual worker households now, they make the choice to work, no more oppressed or controlled?
economic independence
heterosexual attractions decrease separatism likelihoods.
paint a too gloomy picture of society and their lives
Who are liberal Feminists?
issue of legal equality to be the same as men
Which acts have been passed to allow equality? LB
Equal pay Act
Sex discrimination Act
Birth control, divorce
What do liberals still believe
there is still a gender pay gap
no issues to glass ceiling and dual burden
most work has been done but need to change central societal values still
What is the glass ceiling? LB
women can see opportunity but are stopped by the walls blocking them
What do Difference feminists think?
Different women have different experiences of family life, therefore we cannot generalise about female experiences
What do Black Feminists argue?
Family can be a support against racism which white feminists ignore
What is a criticism of Difference feminists?
There are differences between women, but also common experiences that many women face, such as domestic violence and sexual assault, low pay and status.
Evaluation of Feminists Approaches?
women’s role differ in families and if there was no man?
women initiate divorce more than men
family members are passive puppies
children have more power to assert themself
feminisation of the economy means we are post feminist and struggles are solved
women mainly do work no
