Feminism Flashcards
Sex vs. Gender
Core Distinction
A fundamental concept in feminism is the distinction between sex, which refers to biological differences (genitals, chromosomes, hormones), and gender, which encompasses the social roles, appearances, and expected behaviours associated with being male or female. Gender is understood as a cultural and economic construct.
Sex vs. Gender: Quote
“Sex: genitals, chromosomes, hormones = biology. Gender: appearance, social roles, ‘normal’ behaviour, feminine, masculine = culture and economics”
Sex vs Gender: Social Construction
Feminists argue that gender roles are not natural but are learned and enforced by society. Simone de Beauvoir’s quote, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,” underscores this idea, suggesting that femininity is a social construct rather than an innate quality.
Social Construction: Quote
“Man is defined as a human being and woman as a female – whenever she behaves as a human being she is said to imitate the male.”
Implications: The distinction highlights how societal expectations and norms shape how men and women are perceived and treated, moving beyond purely biological differences.
Patriarchy: Definition
Patriarchy is defined as a system of government and social organization designed for, and run in the interests of, men. It’s a pervasive, institutionalized system of gender oppression against women.
Patriarchy: Quote
“A patriarchy is a system of government which is designed for, and run in the interests of men. It refers to systematic, institutionalised and pervasive gender oppression against women.”
Manifestations of Patriarchy:Society/Culture
The media reinforces traditional gender roles, limiting women’s choices. There is an obsession with female obedience through the promotion of thinness.
Manifestations of Patriarchy:Society/Culture: Quote
“A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty; it is an obsession about female obedience” (Naomi Wolf)
Manifestations of Patriarchy:Society/Culture: Violence
Domestic violence, historically ignored, is a serious problem. “Recent stats suggest that 2 women are killed per week in England and Wales by a current or former partner. 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.”
Manifestations of Patriarchy:Society/Culture: Sexuality
Women’s sexual desires are repressed, leading to feelings of deviance
Manifestations of Patriarchy:Society/Culture: The state
Women have historically been denied political power, and even with equal rights, there is still underrepresentation in politics, with issues such as sexual harassment remaining prevalent.
Liberal view on patriarchy
Liberal feminists view patriarchy as denying women equal rights and creating gender norms that constrain women’s freedom. Suffrage was a key early demand.
Socialist view on patriarchy
Socialist feminists link patriarchy to capitalism.
Radical feminist view on patriarchy
Radical feminists consider patriarchy the most fundamental form of social division, arguing that it changes and adapts to perpetuate itself.
Radical quote on patriarchy
“Patriarchy, reformed or unreformed, is patriarchy still: its worst abuses purged or forsworn, it might actually be more stable and secure than before.” (Kate Millett)
Third wave view on patriarchy
Third-wave feminists argue that patriarchy affects different women differently, according to race, class, and other intersectional factors.
Third wave quote on patriarchy
The experiences of white middle-class women are very different from the experiences of BAME and trans women.
The Personal is Political: Core Idea
This slogan challenges the traditional distinction between the public sphere (society) and the private sphere (family). It argues that all relationships between men and women are based on power dynamics, not just in the public sphere, and that what is considered “personal” is actually part of the patriarchal system
The Personal is Political: Power and Dominance
Examples include domestic situations where women are controlled and restricted by their husbands
The Personal is Political: Socialisation
Socialisation processes, such as toys and clothes marketed to girls, prepare them for motherhood, hindering their autonomy.
The Personal is Political: Otherness
De Beauvoir’s concept of “otherness” highlights the unequal relationship between men and women, where women are defined as the “other” in relation to men, the perceived norm
Otherness: Quote
“Otherness is a fundamental category of human thought. Thus it is that no group ever sets itself
The Personal is Political: Radical Feminist View
Radical feminists argue that patriarchy originates in the family, trapping women in domestic work and enforcing traditional feminine roles.
Quote “the family is patriarchy’s chief institution” (Kate Millett)
Equality vs. Difference Feminism - Equality Feminism
Seeks equality between men and women within society. The majority of feminists fall into this camp.
Equality vs. Difference Feminism - Difference Feminism
Argues that men and women have fundamentally different natures. Some difference feminists see these differences as complementary, while others argue for the superiority of feminine values
Quote: “There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of
Essentialism Debate
The debate revolves around the role of biological differences, with essentialist feminists believing that biological sex differences are key to understanding gender.
Difference Feminist Claims
Difference feminists, such as eco-feminists, celebrate feminine values like empathy and nurture, contrasting these with masculine values like violence and destruction. Some suggest that feminine values could help reorder global systems.
Cultural Feminism
A form of difference feminism that seeks to challenge the dominance of male culture in society, instead seeking to promote ‘women’s values’.
Mary Daly
A radical difference feminist who outlined the patriarchal oppression of women globally and called for a sisterhood, for women to become self-confident ‘Hags’ and ‘Crones’ and not seek self-sacrifice.
Camille Paglia
A controversial academic who suggests that men are more likely to be at the extreme ends of the intelligence spectrum.
Equality vs. Difference Feminism - quote
“On the intelligence spectrum, it’s been shown again and again that women occupy the great middle of the IQ spectrum. But with men you have them turning up at the opposite extremes. You have male geniuses and you have male psychotics. That’s why one of my great sentences is that “There is no female Mozart because there is no
Intersectionality: Modern Feminism
Acknowledges that experiences of women are shaped by multiple factors, including race, class, and sexuality. Intersectionality means that the experience of women of different backgrounds is not the same and must be considered.
Black Feminism
Emphasises that the white, middle-class experience is not universal and that black women have different experiences of the family.
Third Wave Feminism
Emphasises a more fluid understanding of being a woman. It argues that because women’s experiences are so different it can become impossible to generalise the term ‘woman’.
Debates Within Feminism: Liberal Feminism
Focuses on individualism, equal opportunity, and formal equality for women within existing systems. They don’t challenge the private domestic sphere and believe in individual freedom of choice.
Debates Within Feminism: Socialism
Argues that gender inequality stems from capitalism. There are different views on this, with some seeing patriarchy and capitalism as interlinked systems of oppression.
Debates Within Feminism: Radical
Sees patriarchy as the primary form of oppression and seeks to dismantle it, focusing on the personal and the family as key sites of power.
Debates Within Feminism: Postmodern Feminism
Emphasises the diversity of women’s experiences and a more fluid understanding of “woman”. It acknowledges that gender is not the sole factor impacting a woman’s life and that intersectionality is key.
Post-feminism
Post-feminism emerges out of post-modern feminism and argues that each woman should be free to make her own choices and determine her own lifestyle. Even if this means choosing a to be a housewife and accepting traditional gender roles
Greer and Millet
Greer criticises this view as women have abandoned liberation for a false equality which amounts to assimilation of male values (e.g. hypersexuality). Millett would argue that this is patriarchy reinventing itself.
What unites ALL feminists:
Recognition that women are disadvantaged by their sex and gender, and that this can and should be challenged.
Commitment to political and legal equality.
What unites MOST feminists:
The distinction between sex and gender.
A belief in gender equality.
The idea that “the personal is political.”
Concern over the treatment of women in traditional societies.
Key disagreements
Key disagreements are around individualism vs ‘sisterhood’, the role of capitalism in women’s oppression, and the value of equality versus difference.
Simone de Beauvoir
Emphasised the social construction of gender and the concept of “otherness”.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Argued that women were dependent on men for their economic security and had to pay for this through sexual favors.
Kate Millet (radical)
A radical feminist who believes patriarchy is the most important division in society and that it begins in the family, calling the family patriarchy’s chief institution. Her work builds on Malinowski’s ‘principle of legitimacy’ which she uses to explain how patriarchy is justified.
belle hooks (intersectionalist)
Wrote on how feminism is misunderstood by people and how both boys and girls are impacted by patriarchy.
Sheila Rowbotham (socialist)
Rejects the radical feminist view that men have no role to play within the quest for female emancipation. Women and men should stand together against the oppression caused by capitalism.
Mary Daly
Believed in essential differences between men and women and called for a sisterhood.
Betty Friedan (liberal)
Liberal feminist who believed the issues with gender inequality were an artificial construct created by patriarchal societies and that this should be challenged through cultural change.
Feminist Perspectives on the State, Society and the Economy:
The State
Feminists agree the state can benefit women but there is tension around how this is achieved. Liberal feminists call for legal protections.
Feminist Perspectives on the State, Society and the Economy: Society
Feminists agree that society places women in subordinate positions, but they disagree on how to address it. Equality feminists seek to remove gender differences, while difference feminists value women-centric values and sometimes advocate for separatist feminism.
Feminist Perspectives on the State, Society and the Economy: Economy
Feminists identify women as exploited due to their economic dependence on men. Socialist feminists link economic exploitation to capitalism, while radical feminists focus on women’s unpaid domestic labour.
