feminism Flashcards
what is feminism
structural theory
- argues society is based on conflict between men and women
- men use physical power to control women
- men dominate all areas of society so shape all structures to benefit men - patriarchy
what is feminism eval
criticised by social action theorists for over emphasising patriarchy as a structure rather than a series of different gender interactions
accused of undermining the family and promoting social instability harming all members of society
liberal feminism
draws attention to individual factors that contribute to inequalities between men and women
focuses energies on establishing and protecting equal opportunities for women through legislation
enshrining equality in law is important to eliminating discrimination against women
do not see women’s subordinate as part of a larger system or structure
liberal feminist sociologist
ann oakley
drew a distinction between sex and gender
argued that society is organised around extreme gender differences which people are made to believe is biological
- social construct
liberal law changes
law changes such as sex discrimination act are slowly changing male attitudes
these changing attitudes are felt in the family as men are supportive of their wives going out to work
men are also beginning to take on more housekeeping and child caring responsibilities
liberal moving towards equality
Changes in socialisation and culture start to reduce gender divisions in the family- rise of the new man
- Somerville - women are still disadvantaged in the family, women - more choice in terms of who to marry, to go to work, move towards greater equality in household roles and that most women still value a relationship with a man we are moving slowly towards gender equality.
- More parents are careful to avoid socialising their children into rigid gender roles.
Further legal measures may be required to achieve full equality.
liberal key changes
- Equal Pay Act (1970)
- Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
- Equal Opportunities Commission (now the Equality and Human Rights Commission)
liberal evaluation
- It’s over optimistic and draws only a partial picture of gender inequality.
- Radical Feminist:
- Does not acknowledge the systemic nature of women’s oppression in society. Domestic violence and rape are still common occurrences in families.
- Encourages women to accept an unequal society and its competitive character. This will not change the patriarchal control of society.
- Law changes are used to give the impression of equality (very rarely enforced) and leaves patriarchy untouched.
- Functionalists argue that feminists ignore the benefit that the traditional gender roles brings to society. It is sex not gender that informs gender roles.
radical feminism
women live lives of continual apology - born and raised to take blame - if treated without respect - tell themselves they have failed to earn respect
radical feminism key principles
Men are responsible for and benefit from the exploitation of women.
Patriarchy - universal phenomenon that has existed across time and cultures + controls women’s bodies and sexuality
Men exploit women by relying on free domestic labour within the family.
Violence against women is central to male supremacy.
The personal is political.
radical sociologist
firestone - biological ability to give birth - dependency on men - biological inequality - emancipation through abortion
brownmiller - male violence is central to male supremacy
greer - women always suffer from male power if live in same household - matrilocal households
radical - political lesbianism
lesbian relationships - equal in terms of power - housework, child caring responsibilities
radical - consciousness raising
campaigns to highlight male domestic violence - pressurise parliament to take it seriously
set up shelters to provide refuge for abused women
radical - key solutions
separatism
consciousness-raising
political lesbianism
radical key successes
Abused women shelters, changes in the law against rape in marriage (1990).
Raising awareness of honour based violence and forced marriage
Consciousness raising among women.
Changes in domestic roles in the family.
radical eval
ignores influences of race, class and ethnicity
struggles to explain women’s violence against men
structural, conflict - women passively accept gender role
postmodern / difference feminists - focus on modernist roles and structures such as nuclear family - society more complex
marxist feminism key principles
women’s subordination rooted in capitalism
women’s unpaid domestic role makes them dependent on men - excludes women from work and encourages women to consume the products of capitalism
women act as a reserve army of labour
women reproduce the workforce
women are the takers of shit
marxist fem sociologists
Barrett - ideology of familism ensures women collude in their own oppression
cereal pocket family and division of labour within it seem natural and normal
women believe they can only find fulfilment within the family and through motherhood
ansley - women absorb anger otherwise focused on capitalist bosses - takers of shit - stops men taking frustration out on bosses - why government refused to focus on domestic abuse
marxist fem reserve army of labour
- women brought into labour market in economic boom times and the first to be sacked during recessions
- more likely to be on temporary contracts
marxist fem key solutions
overthrow capitalism with a social revolution
overthrow the ideology of familism (barrett) at the same time
marxist fem eval
fails to explain why women subordinate in non-capitalist societies
rad - men benefit more from patriarchy than capitalism
doesnt make sense in marxist theory for women to not work - create more surplus value for employers
black / difference feminism sociologists
Bell Hooks - feminism guilty of false universality - idea there is a unified form of gender oppression that is experienced equally by all women is problematic
Patricia Hill Collins - slavery has had a huge impact in disrupting african and african-Caribbean families - men often separated from families - culture where women lone parent and permanent member of household
Cheshire Calhoun - influenced by pm - examines family from lesbian perspective - not family life itself but rather family life within patriarchal heterosexual marriages - heterosexuals have tried to attribute their problems to corrupting outsiders
black feminism
developed alongside civil rights movements as many black women rejected notion of sisterhood from white women - if all women sisters why did black women have to be their cleaners
process later expanded to address all issues - difference feminism
black feminism is still an important strand of feminism esp in USA
difference feminism
difference groups in society have very different experiences of society and of patriarchy within in
eg w/c and u/c in family
black feminists see the family as a place of support and resistance from a racist society
some asian families more traditionally patriarchal
difference / black feminism evaluation
fail to recognise that women share common oppression despite their differences - Walby - all women in families at risk from male oppression and violence
overemphasising women’s differences divides and weakens women as a group - harder to enact social change
