feminism Flashcards
what is sex
refers to biological differences between men and women. humans are assigned their sex at birth male or female
there are 2 main debates concerning sex
difference feminism vs equality feminism
transfeminism vs transfeminist sceptics
what is gender
gender is used to explain the ‘gender roles’ of men and women
majority of feminists argue that gender roles are socially constructed and form gender stereotypes.
Simone de Beauvoir argued that biological differences between men and women had been used by a male dominated state and society as a justification for predetermining the gender role of women
believed men had characterised themselves as the norm and women as the other. this otherness left women subordinate to men
she argued mens domination meant that they were the ‘first sex’ and women the second sex
who is Simone Beauvoir
1908-86
drew on her own unhappy experiences of childhood
offered a powerful critique of sex and gender in ‘the second sex’ 1949
she argued that femininity was an artificial societal construct ‘ one is not born but rather becomes a women’
in some ways she was as much a humanist as a feminist ‘ the fact that we are human beings is infinitely more important than all the peculiarities that distinguish human beings from one another’
‘otherness’ is imposed on women by men. male domination meant that men were the ‘first sex’ while women were the ‘second sex’ as men argued that they were the norm.
what are other views on sex and gender
Charlotte Perkins Gilman - 1860-1935 argued that gender roles are socially constructed from a young age , subordinating women to the will of men. women are socialised into thinking themselves naturally weaker than men
Kate millett and bell hooks both perceive social construction as beginning in childhood within the family unit. therefore gender roles are not natural or inevitable
what is first wave feminism
first wave feminism extended classical liberalism ideas about human nature and freedom so they explicitly included women
these ideas wished for the state to reform society and economy
wollenstonecraft (not a feminism key thinker) in ‘a vindication of the rights of women’ argued that women were just rational as men and should receive the same educational opportunities.
Taylor mill in ‘enfranchisement of women’ argued that women should have the same right to vote as men and also play a role in the making of the law
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (key thinker) - argued that women should have equal opportunities in the work place and conceptualised the idea of economic independence for women
what is second wave feminism
second wave feminism had divergent solutions to womens problems.
liberal feminists influenced by Freidan and first wave feminism argued for the state to reform society and the economy , allowing women equality within the public sphere of society .
radical feminists influences by millet and Greer saw the state as part of the problem and wanted radical changes to the public and private spheres of society.
socialist feminists influenced by some of the ideas of Rowbotham argued that only under a socialist feminism revolution could the inequalities of both capitalism and female oppression be solved.
second wave feminism was united by one idea that women were being opressed by men , a concept that became known as patriarchy
what is the patriarchy
derived from the greek patriarchs meaning ‘head of the tribe’
in feminism its used to describe a social system supporting male domination and female subordination.
Kate millet is credited for the first analysis of it but most feminists engage wit the concept
liberal feminists - believe that patriarchy can be reformed by the state and in western society there are numerous examples - female emancipation, access to education, workplace equality, legislation of abortion , changes in marriage and divorce law
radical feminists - believe that patriarchy is too pervasive to be reformed
instead change must be revolutionary
germaine gréer argued that male respect for women is an affection as they have a deep seated loathing of women , which is shown by the obscenities used to describe womens sexual organs - ‘women have very little idea how much men hate them’
Barbara Goodwin concludes the sheer number of domestic violence and rape cases give women some idea
socialist feminists - believe that female consciousness is created by men as a part of the capitalist machine
Sheila Rowbotham adopted a marxist theory of history that concluded that women have always been oppressed and that a revolution was needed which would destroy both capitalism an patriarchy
what is 3 wave feminism
identified 6 overlapping patriarchal structures that promote discrimination
the state - underrepresents women in power
household- society conditions women into believing there natural role is mother/homemake
violence- one in 4 women in the uk will experience domestic violence from men
paid work - women are often underpaid when in same role as men. women careers tend to be linked to gender stereotypes eg nurse
sexuality - women are made to feel that their sexual feelings are abnormal, wrong or deviant
culture - society reinforces roles of women , through woman being the primary carer and objecting how women should look. feminists argue that highly sexualised male fantasy versions of women are found in the media, pressurising women to look a certain way and is often linked to anorexia
what is postmodern/ 4th wave feminism
bell hooks argued that feminist discussions have primaryly been from white middle class perspective. she argued that women of different ethnicities and socioeconomic classes have been neglected by mainstream feminism
4th wave feminism argues that patriarchy is especially misogynistic in the developing world with female circumcision, forced marriage and sexual violence more prevalent than in the west
what is the personal is the political
associated with second wave - Not changing from a legal point of view but a changing peoples mind - the culture had engrained patriarchy
‘personal is political’ wanted to challenge this
liberal feminists focus on the public sphere of society eg equal pay whereas radical feminists refute this, arguing that ‘the personal is the political’ as patriarchy is prevalent in the private sphere of family life
gilman berated the misery of woman’s private lives and the exploitative nature of domestic roles. society pressure forced young girls to conform to motherhood, with gender specific clothes and toys - she argued for gender neutral garments and toys
Rowbotham argued that marriage was ike feudalism, with women akin to serfs paying feudal dues to their husband
de Beauvoir championed contraception as it allowed women control of their bodies and way to avoid endless child bearing
millet believed ‘family’ was a social construct and not a natural arrangement
she believed patriarchy granted men ownership over their wife and children entrenching sexism with the idea of male superiority
family socialised children into recognising masculine authority and female marginalisation
marriage saw women lose their identity by taking their husbands surname
who was Kate millett
American academic wrote ‘sexual politics’ 1970
perhaps the most influential radical feminist, she challenged liberal feminism by arguing the personal was the political
she perceived family unit as the foundation of patriarchal thought as children were socialised into gender roles
patriarchy reinforced hetrosexualism as being superior bisexual or homosexual relationships
womens gender roles were stereotyped in art and literature
equality vs difference feminism
majority of feminists are equality feminists - believe biological differences are inconsequential and that gender differences are socially constructed thus holding that there are no specific famine traits
de Beauvoir dismissed the idea of innate female characteristics as ‘a myth invented by men to confine women to their oppressed state’
men and women were essentially the same and de Beauvoir argued that women had been dominated in part because of their bodies - ‘her ovaries condemn her to live forever on her knees’
she argued for contraceptives, abortion, rejection of the family and monogamy would allow women to compete with men in society.
difference feminism
minority of feminists disagree with equality feminism believing in essentialism whereby biological differences are consequential and do determine gender differences
Carol Gilligan a prominent difference feminist argued that sex was one of the most important determinants of human behaviour , saying that women are naturally more nurturing , caring and communal than men
argues that there has been an assumption that there is ‘a single Mode of social experience and interpretation’ when in fact men and women experience and interpret the world in different ways
equality feminism therefore misunderstands these differences leading to women attempting to replicate male behaviour while neglecting their own natures
cultural feminism - more extreme version of difference feminism
challenges the dominance of men in society, asserting that womens values are superior and should be promoted
believe in a distinct ‘female essence’ which is caring and nurturing as opposed to aggressive and competitive
critics argue that this is inverted sexism
what is intersectionality
bell hooks criticised second wave feminists for conceptualising feminism from a white middle-class perspective arguing that both liberal and radical feminists largely exclude the concerns of minority groups - ‘individual black feminists despaired as we witnessed the appropriation of feminist ideology by elitist, racists, white women’
hooks ideas inspired Kimberly Crenshaws theory of intersectionality that challenged the notion that gender is the most important factor in understanding womens lives
she uses degraffenreid v general motors case - 1976 5 black employees sued General Motors for wrongful dismissal based on discrimination. court viewed discrimination through distinct lens of race and gender and dismissed the case because General Motors continued to employ black men and white women.
therefore individuals can be oppressed on multiple overlapping areas such as gender, class and race
who was bell hooks
1952-
believed that society is full of complex relationships between different minorities. her key work is ‘aint I a women: black women and feminism’
women of colour - hooks broadened the feminist debate as she felt it was too focused on middle and upper class college educated white women. she focused on ‘women of colour’ and all social classes
intersectionality - her ideas greatly influenced the idea of intersectionality - a term coined by Kimberle crenshaw- which challenged the feminist assumption that gender was the most important factor in determining a womens life experiences
Kimberly Crenshaw - ‘sexism isn’t a one size fits all phenomenon. it doesn’t happen to black and white women in the same way’
what is liberal feminism
argues that via democratic pressure, gender stereotypes can be eliminated.
unlike radical and social feminists they do not believe there needs to be revolutionary change in the way state, society and economy is organised
liberal feminists focus on the public sphere (society) rather than on the private sphere (family)
influenced by liberal values of individualism, foundational equality and equality of opportunity
Mary wollenstonecraft argued for political equality - votes for women
assumption was that political emancipation would lead to equality particularly in relation to economic sphere of property ownership
liberal feminists campaigned for end to discrimination in work place and belief in gender equality
an end to outdated cultural attitudes and opposition to sexist language
changes in law to facilitate legal equality in all public spheres
liberal feminism was criticised by radical feminists for its reluctance to analyse the private sphere of family life and by third wave feminists for its white middle class definition of feminism
