Feminism

Question 1

Liberal Feminism

Answer 1

• See society as patriarchal but the position of women are improving due to the feminisation of the economy , genderquake , marriage has become more egalitarian and gender role socialisation os changing .
• Oakley : Associations are made between the female sex ( biological parts ) and gender ( a culturally constructed idea )
• Women are still perceived as the expressive leader and then girls to be sensitive and caring due to biology

Question 2

Evaluation of Liberal feminisation

Answer 2

• Criticised by other feminists for exaggerating the extent at which women have achieved equality eg pay gap is still apparent
• LF is regarded as the feminism of white MC women as successes can only be applied to those already with privileges
• It is regarded as the most respected strand of feminism

Question 3

Marxist feminism

Answer 3

• MF argue that patriarchy is used to divide wc men and women so they don’t unite against the capital class
• Benston : Domestic labour of women is crucial to capitalism in three ways :
  1. Capitalism requires a future workforce ( role of mother is to reproduce the future workforce free of charge )
  2. The present workforce requires maintenance (the housewife maintains the health + efficiency of the workers)
  3. Reserve army of Labour ( Ansley “women are the takers of shit”)
  Act as a safety valve for capitalism as men can take out their stress at home
• Barrett ( Women tolerate exploitation from patriarchal capitalism due to being socialised in to familial ideology)
• Encouraged to accept the division of labour as natural and normal
• This keeps women in a secondary position which benefits capitalism

Question 4

Marxist feminism evaluation

Answer 4

• Fails to explain the nature of oppression of women in non-capitalist societies such as china
• It is outdated , the nature of jobs have evolved
• No evidence that women’ domestic work actively benefits capitalism

Question 5

Radical Feminism

Answer 5

• Delphy : Argues gender classes rather than economic classes are the fundamental source of all inequalities ( they reinforce “ruling gender class” ideology and reinforce the notion of male dominance )
• Men exploit and women’s behaviour through patriarchal ideology and coercion
• Men are playing a game of sexual politics ( use their gender to control women eg relationships , politics etc)
• Society is malestream ( men in positions of power eg political leaders do everything from a masculine pov )
• Double standards of sexuality ( men can choose the nature of relationships and women are in a catch 22 situation)
• Solutions : Political lesbianism and separatism
  Protests such as the take back the night campaign

Question 6

Evaluation of radical feminism

Answer 6

• Misandrist theory as it promotes a generalised dislike of men
• provides no practical solutions
• It ignores that women can be abusive and violent towards to men
• Not all men exploit women
• Ignores the nature of oppression women experience across other groups eg class, ethnicity, religion etc

Question 7

Difference feminism

Answer 7

• Also known as post structural feminists note that not all women are the same and are not oppressed in the same way
• Women’s experiences are shaped by different discourses eg women is islamic societies have different experiences to women in secular societies and women from a minority ethnic group may be prone to greater exploitation
• Critical of essentialism
• Argue feminism has only fought for the rights of white MC women in western societies eg the family is a source of oppression but for many bame women it can be a haven from racial discrimination
• We need to analyse different experiences held by different groups of women

Question 8

Evaluation of Difference Feminism

Answer 8

• Considered divisive as it pits women against each other

- It downplays the extent to which women have shared problems eg violence