Core Ideas and Principles of Feminism Flashcards
What is the difference between sex and gender? - Core Ideas and Principles
Sex is the biological differences between men and women, whereas gender is the cultural and economic differences between men and women.
Give examples of sex differences between men and women. What have been the role of these differences? - Core Ideas and Principles
Men are physically stronger than women, women can give birth to children. Most feminists believe that sex differences should be irrelevant in determining relationships between men and women, while some also argue that sex differences have been crucial in determining the status of women.
Give examples of gender differences between men and women - Core Ideas and Principles
Women supposedly are more nurturing and caring due to their maternal instincts as child-bearers, women have traditionally been unable to hold time-consuming jobs due to the burden of childcare, men are more selfish and accustomed to the capitalist world of business.
How have gender attitudes to the work of women created a ‘vicious circle’? - Core Ideas and Principles
Jobs done traditionally by women have been perceived to have been less important than male-dominated roles, meaning that women have been seen as inferior. As such, there has been reduced incentive to provide education for women, meaning that they have been unable to access jobs now dominated by males.
What is the patriarchal society? - Core Ideas and Principles
The patriarchal society is the belief that society is manipulated and distorted by men, in the interests of men, with this disadvantaging women.
What is the meaning behind the idea of ‘the personal is political’? - Core Ideas and Principles
‘The personal is political’ refers to the idea that any personal relationship between men and women is itself political, as men will seek to undermine women and assert their dominance over them as a result of patriarchy. No relationship in the private sphere is without significance in the political sphere.
What is the main feminist theory on the state? - Core Ideas and Principles
There is no completely defining feminist theory in the state, although most feminists believe that the state in some ways linked to the issue of the patriarchy. Some perceive the state to actively perpetrate and reinforce this.
What do all feminists agree about society? Over what aspect of this do feminists begin to disagree? - Core Ideas and Principles
All feminists agree that society is itself patriarchal, with these attitudes and systems at times actively and passively continuing to perpetrate these attitudes. However, there are varying degrees to which feminists believe that society is patriarchal, ie. whether it is fundamentally patriarchal or whether this is merely a feature.
What do all feminists agree about the economy? What are features of this belief? - Core Ideas and Principles
All feminists believe that women are economically discriminated against. This manifests itself in the fact that women can be used as cheap/exploitable labour, can be easily disposed of in economic crises, can be used as unpaid labour through childcare, tend to earn less than men.
