Feminism Flashcards
Liberal feminism
sees individualism as the basis of gender equality
Socialist feminism
believes that gender inequality stems from economics + capitalism creates patriarchy so women’s liberation requires vast social change
Radical feminism
believes that the biggest problem facing society is gender inequality + that it is rooted in the structures of domestic life
Post-modern feminism
argues that patriarchy manifests in different ways depending on a womans race, class etc
5 core principles of feminism
sex and gender, patriarchy, the personal is political, equality and difference and intersectionality
What did Gilman believe about sex + domestic economics?
they are hand in hand - for women to survive, they have to depend on their sexuality in order to please their husbands
What did Gilman argue about societal pressures?
young girls are compelled to conform in society and prepare for motherhood by playing with toys and wearing clothes designed specifically for them
Beauvoir - ‘one is not ___, but rather becomes, a ____’
one is not BORN, but rather becomes, a WOMAN
What type of feminist is Kate Millet?
radical
What does Kate Millet believe about patriarchy?
it must be overthrown to ensure womens liberation
What does ‘biology is destiny’ mean?
biological facts do not disadvantage nor determine the social destiny of females
What is sex?
it is the biological difference between men and women which are natural therefore unalterable
What is gender?
cultural term which refers to the different roles that society ascribes to men and women
What is the word feminists use to refer to human nature + what does it mean?
androgynous + it means that all human beings, regardless of sex, possess the genetic inheritance of a mother and a father, and therefore embody a blend of both female and male attributes or traits
Equality feminists beliefs on human nature
men + women are the same, and the distinction between sex and gender is artificial
Difference feminists beliefs on human nature
men + women have fundamentally different natures stemming from biology, known as essentialism
What is essentialism?
term often used to suggest that biological factors are crucial in determining psychological and behavioural traits
Why do postmodern feminists question ‘sex’
some biological features do not apply to the entirety of a ‘sex’ for e.g. not all woman can give birth
What is patriarchy in latin
rule by men
What is intersectionality?
the argument that black + working class women’s experiences of patriarchy in state differ from white, middle-class women
What do liberal feminists believe about the state?
they argue that the state can play a role in promoting female liberation
What do radical feminists believe about the state?
the state providing an equal framework is insufficient in overthrowing patriarchy
What do socialist feminists believe about the state?
reject the liberal idea of state as a neutral body, suggesting instead it works in the interest of capitalism thus patriarchy
Example of a difference feminist + their views on human nature
Carol Gilligan + she believes that women and men are culturally different but these differences should be celebrated
