feminism

Question 1

simone de Beauvoir on human nature

Answer 1

gender differences are created by men in society. they are not natural

Question 2

simone de Beauvoir on the state

Answer 2

the state reinforces a culture that prevents women from expressing their true freedom and identity

Question 3

simone de Beauvoir on society

Answer 3

de Beauvoir’s existentialism dominated her feminism. social constraints prevent individuals, not just women from attaining self-realisation and true freedom

Question 4

simone de Beauvoir on the economy

Answer 4

men’s domination of economic life restricts the life choices open to women

Question 5

bell hooks on human nature

Answer 5

women in common with men have multiple identities and therefore experience multiple forms of oppression

Question 6

bell hooks on the state

Answer 6

the state is dominated by white males and therefore reflects and reinforces their dominant position in society

Question 7

bell hooks on society

Answer 7

society is full of complex relationships between different minorities. in order to to resolve social conflicts, love between different minority cultures must be established

Question 8

bell hooks on the economy

Answer 8

women living in poverty have problems that middle-class women do not face. the liberation of the poor is an economic as well as a social issue

Question 9

sheila rowbotham on human nature

Answer 9

women’s consciousness of the world is created by men

Question 10

sheila rowbotham on the state

Answer 10

the state is the servant of capitalism

Question 11

sheila rowbotham on society

Answer 11

the nature of society is economically determined. society reflects the dominant position of both capitalists and men in general

Question 12

sheila rowbotham on the economy

Answer 12

rowbotham has a marxist perspective women are a low-paid reserve army of labour

Question 13

Charlotte Perkins Gilman on human nature

Answer 13

the biological differences between women and men are irrelevant. women can compete equally with men

Question 14

Charlotte Perkins gilman on the state

Answer 14

no distinct views on the state

Question 15

Charlotte Perkins gilman on society

Answer 15

society has always assigned inferior roles to women. in modern society this no longer has any justification

Question 16

Charlotte perkins gilman on the economy

Answer 16

the domestic servitude of women allowed men to dominate the outside economic world

Question 17

Charlotte Perkins gilman

Answer 17

(1860-1935)
Writing in the early stages of the feminist movement, Gilman wrote about the biological distinctions between men and women, and how these contributed to assumptions about women’s ability, both in society and the economy. Women are therefore far more capable than society assumed at the time.

Question 18

Kate millett on human nature

Answer 18

women are capable of freeing themselves from male oppression by engaging in lesbian relationships

Question 19

Kate millett on the state

Answer 19

the state is merely the agent of patriarchy. its part of the problem but not the solution

Question 20

Kate millett on society

Answer 20

modern society is completely characterised by patriarchy, which is all-pervasive and infests both the private and public spheres

Question 21

Kate millett on the economy

Answer 21

millett is a quasi-soiclaist bu this is not fundamental to her feminism

Question 22

Kate Millett

Answer 22

(1934-2017)
A highly influential radical feminist, Millett wrote extensively about the role of patriarchy in society. Heterosexual relationships play a role in this too, as there is an assumption that men are dominant over women in both the public and private spheres. Women needed a sexual revolution to overthrow the patriarchal assumptions that had led to the subordinate position of women.

Question 23

Sheila Rowbotham

Answer 23

(1943-)

Rowbotham, a socialist feminist, wrote about women’s roles within capitalism, stating that they have a subordinate position within the economic system. This extends to the private sphere, with an assumption that women have a larger role in the household than men, who have a larger economic role.

Question 24

bell hooks

Answer 24

bell hooks (1952-2021)

hooks, a postmodern feminist, developed the ideas of intersectionality; the idea that people posses more than one identity, including race, sexuality and ethnicity. She said that black women have faced more challenges than white women, and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to feminism will not work to create equality.