Differing Views and Tensions in Feminism

Question 1

What are liberal feminist views on gender differences and solutions to these? (Human nature) - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 1

Given that gender differences are an artificial construct, this aspect of human nature can be reformed in order to create a more equal existence for women. Conflicts can be resolved by reforming this aspect of human nature.

Question 2

What are liberal feminist views on the relationship between biological and gender differences? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 2

Liberal feminists believe that biological differences should not translate into gender differences, and that any gender differences based on biology are taught and enforced by a patriarchal society.

Question 3

According to liberal feminists, what different mechanisms reinforce gender differences? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 3

Liberal feminists believe that gender differences are taught by attitudes of men and acceptance of these by women, as well as that cultural institutions like education and media actively perpetuate these stereotypes.

Question 4

What are radical feminist attitudes towards the supposed perpetration of gender distinctions through institutions? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 4

Radical feminists advocate for the overthrowing and restructuring of institutions proven to denigrate women and teach patriarchal attitudes. This involves channels of communication such as media.

Question 5

Outline the beliefs of Shulamith Firestone on solutions to sex (and as a result gender) differences between men and women - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 5

Shulamith Firestone believed that women were oppressed as a result of their sex differences rather than their gender differences from men. Followed a Marxist attitude, that the oppressed (women) would triumph over men by removing sex differences through abandoning the sex functions of women.

Question 6

How do socialist feminist ideas on sex and gender differences link to capitalism? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 6

Socialist feminists believe women to have become an oppressed class through their exploitation by capitalist methods. This exploitation has been made possible by the inferior position assigned to women based on their sex and gender attributes.

Question 7

How do socialist feminists believe that gender differences can be abolished? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 7

Socialist feminists believe gender differences can easily be abolished by destroying capitalism to create an equal society with adequate protections in economic fields.

Question 8

What are liberal feminist attitudes towards the nature/role of the state? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 8

Liberal feminists believe that while the state itself is currently patriarchal, it can be reformed and repurposed to work in the interests of women through legislation and policy to support equality in a patriarchal environment.

Question 9

What are radical feminist attitudes to the nature/roles of the state? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 9

Radical feminists determine that the state is naturally and consistently patriarchal, and that this is intolerable. As such, the state should be overthrown as it is impossible to reform an institution which holds such deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes.

Question 10

What is the difference between liberal and radical attitudes towards the patriarchy? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 10

Liberal feminists believe that although society is patriarchal, this is only an aspect and feature of this. On the other hand, radical feminists believe society to be fundamentally engineered in the interests of men, and that the patriarchy underpins all aspects of society.

Question 11

What solutions do radical feminists propose to end the patriarchal society? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 11

Radical feminists propose that in response to patriarchal society, either a full-scale and unrelenting attack on society’s cultural values should be initiated, or that a female counter-culture must be established, in which women do not interact with men.

Question 12

What are equality feminists? What are their attitudes/aims in terms of society? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 12

Equality feminists are feminists that seek equal rights between men and women. They believe that this should be the aspiration of women to create a fair and equitable world.

Question 13

What are difference feminists? What are their aims/beliefs in terms of society? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 13

Difference feminists are a branch of feminism that believe differences should be embraced and celebrated. Women should not strive for equality with men as they are fundamentally different beings.

Question 14

What are intersectional feminists? What are their beliefs on human nature? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 14

Intersectional feminists are feminists that believe women are composed of multiple differing identities that intersect, meaning that different women face different issues based on their identity.

Question 15

What are the main principles of liberal feminism? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 15

Liberal feminism is based around equality of opportunity, liberty, civil rights, democratic rights and private rights. They believe that if these are established, they are capable of combating the prejudices women face due to the patriarchy.

Question 16

What 3 methods do liberal feminists propose in order to combat the patriarchy? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 16

Liberal feminists believe that the patriarchy can be dismantled through the ending of gender discrimination, through the combating of negative cultural attitudes displayed by media/education and through formal equality brought in by legislation.

Question 17

What methods have been suggested by radical feminists to combat the patriarchy? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 17

Radical feminists have suggested that the destruction of the nuclear family, sexual liberation of women or the elimination of biological roles could destroy the patriarchy and fully liberate women.

Question 18

What is cultural feminism? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 18

Cultural feminism is a branch of radical feminism which accepts the natural gender differences between men and women and values the contribution of female characteristics to society. Believes female characteristics are superior to those of men and therefore should be embraced.

Question 19

What is socialist feminism? Which political philosopher’s ideas is this based upon? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 19

Socialist feminism is a branch of feminism that believes the patriarchy is upheld by capitalism and that women themselves are an exploitable labour force under this economic system. Based on the ideas of Engels.

Question 20

What group of women does Socialist feminism focus upon? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 20

Socialist feminism focuses on the plight of working class women, a stark comparison to the earlier iterations of feminism which have focussed on middle class women.

Question 21

What is post-modern feminism? What is it also known as? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 21

Post-modern feminism is a form of feminism that rejects fixed nature of feminist ideas, instead arguing that feminism must be significantly more complex than just being based around simplistic theories. Also known as Third Wave Feminism.

Question 22

How do tensions exist between liberal and radical feminists? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 22

Radical feminists disagree with the liberal feminist agenda, arguing that it fails to fully encapsulate the struggle to overthrow the patriarchy and is based around a limited agenda. Liberals oppose radical feminists as they say that this restricts the choices of women by attempting to impose a certain set of ideas on a woman.

Question 23

How do tensions exist between socialist and liberal/radical feminists? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 23

Socialists disagree with liberal/radical feminists, arguing greater emphasis must be placed upon economic factors in enforcing the patriarchy. Radicals disagree with socialist feminists by arguing that patriarchy is more enforced by cultural and psychological factors than economic factors.

Question 24

How do tensions exist between equality and difference feminists? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 24

Equality feminists believe that women should seek equality with men in all spheres to combat the patriarchy, whereas difference feminists believe that seeking equality does not recognise the positivity of female characteristics and undermines these as a result.

Question 25

What is the liberal feminist theory of ‘Otherness’? How does this relate to society? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 25

‘Otherness’ is a concept created by liberal feminists to outline the position of women in relation to society, arguing that they almost exist outside the patriarchal society due to their gender and are regarded as different.

Question 26

What did Germaine Greer argue about relationships between men and women, as well as women’s attitudes towards themselves? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 26

Greer believed that women were oppressed by men due to their apparent hatred of them, as well as that women were equally complicit in this as they had been socialised into hating and oppressing themselves.

Question 27

What does Firestone argue about the history of civilisation (in terms of men and women)? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 27

Firestone asserted that civilisation has been dominated by a dialectic struggle between men and women, with this conflict stemming from the fact that women had continuously been oppressed by childbirth and home working throughout time.

Question 28

Describe the key views of cultural feminism - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 28

Cultural feminism is a branch of radical feminism which accepts gender differences (unlike radical feminism). This argues that female characteristics are naturally compassionate and caring, and that if these could dominate the world, conflict would be reduced.

Question 29

What do socialist feminists argue in relation to capitalism? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 29

Socialist feminists believe that capitalism must be modified extremely or overthrown in order to mitigate the effects of the patriarchy, given that capitalism as a force oppresses and discriminates against women.

Question 30

What are the key features of third wave feminism? - Differing Views in Feminism

Answer 30

Third wave feminism revolves around the idea that women must determine their own methods of liberation from patriarchal oppression through freedom of choice. It also seeks to change cultural attitudes and the vocabulary used to prevent this oppression.