FEMINISM

Question 1

what is reformism

Answer 1

The idea that equal rights can be achieved through gradual reformation rather than a revolution

Question 1

Sex and Gender (Oakley 1972)

Answer 1

Sex: biological differences between males and females e.g. Hormones
Gender: socially constructed differences between masculine and feminine roles and identities assigned to males and females.

Question 2

Evaluation of Liberal Feminists

Answer 2

• Produced evidence for extent of gender discrimination and inequality.
• Demonstrated gender differences are not biological.
• Over-optimistic e.g. Ignore wider power structures.
• Marxist and Radical feminists argue that revolutionary changes are needed.

Question 3

Radical Feminism: The Personal is Political

Answer 3

• Believes patriarchy lies within the public and private spheres.
• Focuses on issues such as sexual and physical violence.
• Argues that sexuality is socially constructed e.g. Women portrayed in pornography as passive sex objects and a source of pleasure.

Question 4

What is separatism?

Answer 4

Living apart from men.
Greer (2000) all female households should be an alternative to the heterosexual family.

Question 5

What is consciousness raising?

Answer 5

Sharing experiences of patriarchy with other women to form collective action e.g. Slutwalk

Question 6

What is lesbianism?

Answer 6

Heterosexual relationship are oppressive because they involve sleeping with the enemy and therefore lesbianism is the only form of non-oppressive sexuality.

Question 7

Evaluation of radical feminists

Answer 7

• Draw attention to issues such as domestic violence, rape, pornography, domestic labour and marriage.
• Marxists believe class in the main cause of oppression.
• Liberal feminists argue that patriarchy is already in decline.

Question 8

What do Marxist feminists argue?

Answer 8

Oppression is rooted in capitalism rather than patriarchy.

Question 9

Why do women benefit capitalism?

Answer 9

• Source of cheap and exploitative labour, paid less because it is assumed they rely on their husbands.
• Reserve army of labour.
• They reproduce the labour force e.g. Socialisation.
• Absorb anger that would otherwise be taken out on the capitalist system.

Question 10

Barrett: The ideology of familism
Familism:

Answer 10

• the nuclear family and it’s sexual division of labour being natural and normal.
• Women contribute to own oppression through living in this family type.
• To ensure domestic labour is shared equally and free the sexes from stereotypes, we must overthrow this ideology.

Question 11

Evaluation of Marxist Feminists

Answer 11

• Doesn‘t explain women’s subordination in non-capitalist societies.
• Doesn’t explain why it must be women to fulfil the domestic labour role.

Question 12

What is dual systems feminism?

Answer 12

• Capitalism and patriarchy argued to be intertwined

Question 13

Hartmann (1979)

Answer 13

• Dual systems feminism is called patriarchal capitalism.
• Looks at the position in the domestic division of labour and in paid work.

Question 14

Walby (1988)

Answer 14

• Capitalism and patriarchy are interconnected but not always for the same reason.
• Capitalism wants to use women for cheap labour but patriarchy wants to restrict women to the home.

Question 15

Pollert (1996)

Answer 15

• Patriarchy is run by its own internal dynamic of profit making just like capitalism.
• It’s merely a descriptive word for practices such as male violence and women’s labour.

Question 16

What is difference feminism?

Answer 16

All women have personal experiences of capitalism, patriarchy, racism and homophobia etc.

Question 17

The problem of essentialism

Answer 17

This is the view that all experiences for all women are the same.
Ignores certain problems e.g. Healthcare and clean water in poorer countries.

Question 18

What are discourses? (Butler 1992)

Answer 18

• A way of seeing, thinking or speaking about something.
  Gives power to those it defines e.g. Defining child birth as a medical conditions gives power to the doctors and disempowers women.

Question 19

The enlightenment project as a discourse

Answer 19

White, wester, middle-class women dominate the movement.
Cannot be extended to other women because we are not a single entity.

Question 20

Evaluation of difference feminism

Answer 20

• Walby (1992) whilst recognising there are differences between women’s experiences,
• there are also similarities e.g. Greater risk of low pay, domestic violence and sexual assault compared to men.