Feminism

Question 1

what is feminism

Answer 1

Feminism sees society as male-dominated and seeks to change the position of women in society, it is a conflict approach that seeks to overthrow the patriarchy

Question 2

types of feminism

Answer 2

Liberal Feminism
Radical Feminism
Marxist Feminism
Difference Feminism
Postmodern Feminism

Question 3

key sociologists and strands

Answer 3

Oakley - Liberal Feminism
Brownmiller - Radical Feminism
Rich - Radical Feminism
Firestone - Radical Feminism
Greer - Radical Feminism
Ansley - Marxist Feminism
Barret - Marxist Feminism
Hartmann - Marxist Feminism
Abbot - Post-modern feminism
Butler - Post-modern feminism

Question 4

liberal feminism

Answer 4

Oakley argues that equal rights can be achieved through changes in the law, gender equality is on a march of progress

Question 5

what can combat sexism according to Liberal Feminism

Answer 5

They argue that cultural changes can combat sexism, they believe that traditional views about gender stereotypes are a barrier to equality.

Question 6

what does Oakley distinguish between

Answer 6

Oakley distinguishes between sex and gender
Sex - biological differences between males and females
Gender - socially constructed differences

Question 7

how can we achieve gender equality according to liberal feminists

Answer 7

For liberal feminists, sexist attitudes and stereotypical beliefs about gender are culturally constructed and transmitted through socialisation. Therefore, to achieve gender equality we must change society’s socialisation and institutions need to combat sexist language and attitudes, over time such actions will produce cultural change and gender equality will become the norm.

Question 8

evaluation of Liberal Feminism

Answer 8

They demonstrate that gender differences are not inborn but the result of different treatment and socialisation patterns. However, they ignore the possibility that there are deep-seated structures causing women’s oppression, such as capitalism or patriarchy, as Walby argues they do not explain the overall structure of gender inequality - they see gender inequality as a result of a lack of laws and inadequate socialisation. Marxist and Radical Feminists argue that liberal feminists fail to recognise the underlying causes of women’s subordination and it is naive to believe that changes in laws or attitudes will be enough to bring equality. Instead, they believe that far-reaching revolutionary changes are needed.

Question 9

radical feminist basics

Answer 9

All societies are patriarchal, the patriarchy is universal, according to Firestone, patriarchy exists in all societies. Patriarchy is the primary form of inequality, gender is the main division in society. All men oppress women and benefit from the patriarchy

Question 10

key tenets of radical feminism

Answer 10

The personal is political
Sexuality
Change

Question 11

the personal is political

Answer 11

Brownmiller argues that patriarchal oppression is direct and personal. It occurs not only in the public sphere but also in the private sphere. Radical feminists argue that all personal relationships are based on power where one person dominates another. Personal relationships are therefore political because men dominate women through them, women are controlled by men in their professional and personal relationships through physical and sexual violence. For example, Brownmiller argues that fear of rape is a powerful deterrent against women going out alone at night

Question 12

sexuality

Answer 12

Rich argues that sex is not biological but socially constructed. She argues that men continue to force women into a narrow and unsatisfactory compulsory heterosexuality, the patriarchy constructs women’s sexuality to satisfy men’s desires

Question 13

change

Answer 13

Given that patriarchy and women’s oppression are reproduced through personal and sexual relationships, these must be transformed if women are to be free. Greer offers solutions to this
Separatism - Greer argues that women must organise and live independently of men
Political Lesbianism - Sexual orientation is a political and feminist choice

Question 14

evaluation of radical feminism

Answer 14

Lib fems argue that women’s position has improved greatly in recent years as a result of social reforms and changing attitudes
Difference feminism - women experience the patriarchy differently
Marx fems - Class not patriarchy is the primary form of inequality

Question 15

Marxist Feminism

Answer 15

Marx fems dismiss the lib fem view that women’s subordination is merely the product of stereotyping or outdated attitudes. They also reject the rad fem view that it is the result of patriarchal oppression by men. Instead, Marx Fems see women’s subordination as rooted in capitalism. Hartmann argues that women ate oppressed by a Dual System - patriarchy and capitalism

Question 16

ways in which women’s subordination in the family performs key functions for capitalism

Answer 16

1. Women are a source of cheap labour - women are employed when companies are short on workers and forced to return to domestic roles when not needed
2. Women reproduce the labour force - they socialise children into accepting capitalism and hierarchy
3. Women absorb anger that would be directed toward capitalism. Ansley describes wives as ‘takes of shit’ who soak up their partner’s frustration and alienation within capitalism

Question 17

the ideology of familism

Answer 17

According to Barret, women want to live in a nuclear family arrangments because of ideology. Society presents the nuclear family as normal and natural despite it being negative for women, this ideology helps to keep women subordinated. Therefore Barrett believes that the overthrow of capitalism is necessary to secure women’s liberation, but she argues that it is not sufficient. We must overthrow the ideology of familism

Question 18

evaluation

Answer 18

Hartmann argues that Marx fem is sex-blind, and while unpaid domestic labour may benefit capitalism, it doesn’t explain why it is women and not men that perform it

Question 19

difference feminism

Answer 19

There is no universal experience of womanhood. All women are different and have different experiences of capitalism, class and patriarchy. Abbott argues that other feminists only discuss a white, MC interpretation of womanhood. For example, by seeing the family only as a source of oppression, white fems have rejected Black women’s experiences of racism. Black fems view the Black family as a positive institution to shield from racism in society. The diversity of womanhood is ignored by liberal, radical and Marxist feminists

Question 20

Postmodern feminism

Answer 20

What it means to be a woman changes depending on time or place, therefore there is no universal understanding of womanhood. Butler argues that there is no fixed essence of what it is to be a woman because our identities are socially constructed. Those who get to label women’s identities tend to be men, we need to change the language around womanhood to liberate women

Question 21

evaluation of difference and PM feminism

Answer 21

Walby argues that whilst women are different, all women face the same challenges and are oppressed by the patriarchy and domestic violence et. Similarly, emphasising differences divides women and stifle change. Segal criticises post-modern feminism for abandoning the presence of social structures. Oppression is not just the result of language it is about structural inequality.