Core Ideas And Principles Flashcards
Sex and gender
“Sex” - biological differences
“Gender” - cultural and social distinctions
Sex and gender: certain feminists emphasise culture differences
Certain feminists emphasise the cultural dimension: The main source of female oppression is via the social construct of femininity. A fundamental change in our conception of gender is essential in order that women escape the confines of patriarchy and journey towards a more fulfilling life.
Sex and gender: essentialists
Essentialists however emphasise biological differences as they see it as more appropriate to the goals of the women’s movement. They believe women should rejoice in that which makes them biologically different to men. There biological abilities are superior to anything a man could ever do. Under patriarchy, women are under pressure to achieve an unrealistic goal that means suppression of the true self.
patriarchy
Refers to a society dominated by men i.e. society, state and the economy are characterised by systematic, institutionalised and pervasive gender oppression.
Patriarchal family - family is dominated by the father with power transferred down the male line.
Patriarchal society - based upon male dominance
Patriarchy has shown itself able to reproduce itself from one generation to the next.
Sexist attitudes within the classroom, the workplace, the boardroom and those expressed online continue to blight the lives of many females.
To address the problem of misogyny, liberal feminists advocate ……..
To address the problem of misogyny, liberal feminists advocate a constructive engagement with the political process. In contrast, radical feminists believe that the conventional approach is characterised by sluggish progress towards gender equality. The eradication of a system based upon systematic and institutionalised gender oppression thereby demands a more militant approach.
Examples of sex and gender
Gender is a social construct - Girls dressed in pink, boys dressed in blue
Sex differences - female ability to give birth and breast feed
Patriarchy example
The exploitation of women within a marriage reflects deeper structural inequalities within a male-dominated society.
The personal is political
Politics takes place wherever there is nay kind of human relationship and not merely in public life.
Based upon an understanding that gender expectations can both reflect and reinforce the power imbalance between men and women.
Inequality and oppression is underpinned by the sexual division of labour that runs through society and has been thought of as ‘natural’ rather than political.
Equality feminism and difference feminism
Both desire a better world.
Equality feminism is firmly associated with the ‘politics of sameness’. Their goal is an androgynous ideal in which men and women are equal partners. Could manifest itself in the symmetrical division of domestic labour.
Difference feminists claim that men and women are fundamentally different. Men and women bring different values to a relationship. This is a particularly significant point with regard to raising children and is commonly referred to as the ‘politics of difference’. Difference feminism is therefore associated with the view that women are superior to men, whereas equality feminists adopt the objective of gender equality.
Intersectionality
Refers to the intersection between overlapping social identities and related systems of oppression, domination or discrimination.
The clear implication behind intersectionality is that there is no singular experience of identity and patriarchy. For instance, rather than seeking to comprehend women’s health via the gender perspective we need to consider other categories of social differentiation such as social class and ethnicity. In doing so, we can establish a deeper understanding of the range of health issues facing women. Intersectionality also claims that distinct forms and expressions of oppression are shaped by one another. As such, to fully comprehend the scale and character of oppression we must investigate the ways in which racialising structures, social processes and social representations are shaped by gender, social class and sexuality.
