feminism Flashcards
intro
Feminism has contributed to “our understanding of society” as both a theory, in that it attempts to explain the workings of society, and as a political movement that campaigns to improve the position of women in society (Item C).
Feminists show how mainstream sociology is ‘malestream’ in that the subject has tended to only view society from a male perspective. However, feminism is not a unified theory and divisions exist within feminism as to how to explain and improve the position of women in society.
para 1 liberal feminists
Liberal feminists are called reformists as they believe that progress towards equal rights can be achieved by gradual reforms in society. They
also call for cultural changes to break down prejudice and stereotypes in society. For example, they reject the distinction that is made between sex and gender. They believe that people learn their gender roles in socialisation and women have lost out because they have been restricted to a narrow, domesticated position in society.
These roles are culturally constructed by the family, schools, the media and government. Therefore, the liberal feminists have campaigned for the removal of gender stereotypes from the media and for equal gender representation in education and politics.
liberal feminist 2
Moreover, liberal feminism provides a direct criticism of functionalist theory. Parsons claims that in terms of role allocation in society, men are given instrumental roles, for example paid work, and women are given expressive roles of unpaid domestic and caring work.
This division is based on false assumptions according to liberal feminists. They say such divisions prevent women and men from leading fulfilling lives. On a practical level, studies by liberal feminists have provided evidence of gender inequality in society and they have helped persuade governments to pass equality laws. They have also shown that gender differences are not inborn but the result of gender role socialisation.
liberal feminist a03
However, liberal feminists have been criticised for failing to see the large structural inequalities that keep women subordinated in society.
According to Marxist/socialist feminists, the subordination of women in capitalist society results from their primary role as unpaid domestic workers which places them in a dependent economic position.
Women are a source of cheap labour. They can be paid less because it is assumed they will be dependent on their husband’s wages. Women are a reserve army of labour that can be hired during times of economic prosperity and fired during times of recession. They are treated as marginal workers because it’s assumed their primary role is in the home. Therefore, for Marxist/socialist feminists the interests of women lie in the overthrow of capitalism.
marxist feminists criticism
In criticism of Marxist feminists, it is said that they do not explain why men in general and not just capitalists oppress women and exploit them for unpaid labour. For radical feminists gender division is the most important form of stratification in society. Patriarchy exists in all
societies and is the primary and most fundamental form of social
inequality and conflict.
Firestone claims its origins lie in women’s
biological capacity to give birth since this means they become
dependent on men. All men oppress women and they benefit from women’s unpaid domestic work and sexual services.
radical feminists
The main contribution of radical feminists is in how they have drawn attention to how intimate relationships can involve domination in marriage, domestic work and portrayal of pornography. According to radical feminists oppression occurs in both public life, for example in work, and in private life for example in family and personal relationships.
All relationships involve power and as men attempt to dominate women, their relationship becomes political. In personal relationships patriarchal power is maintained through sexual or physical violence, or the threat of it. Moreover, radical feminists question the nature of sexuality. They claim that sexuality is socially constructed to satisfy men’s desires, for example in portraying women as passive sex objects.
conc
In conclusion, radical feminists call for women to unite and take part in collective action to improve their social position. As men dominate women in the family some radical feminists want separatism; women should live apart from men and free from patriarchy in all female households.
However, radical feminists fail to explain how patriarchy will be abolished. Heterosexual attraction makes it unlikely that separatism will become a reality. Moreover, the more optimistic theory of liberal feminism argues that patriarchy is in decline. The position of women in society has improved greatly in recent years as a result of social reforms and changing attitudes. Gender equality is beginning to become a reality.
