Feminism Flashcards
What are the four strands of feminism?
-Liberal
-Socialist
-Radical
-Post-modern
What are the five core ideas of feminism?
-Sex and gender
-Patriarchy
-Personal is political
-Equality/Difference feminism
-Intersectionality
Who are the key thinkers for feminism?
Charlotte Perkins Gilman - Equality
Simone de Beauvoir - Equality
Kate Millett - Radical Equality
Sheila Rowbotham - Socialist Equality
Bell Hooks - Postmodern
What is sex and gender?
Sex - biological differences
Gender - cultural and economic difference in peoples lives
All feminists agree there is a difference between, and most argue sex should be irrelevant to treatment
What are radical feminists view towards sex and gender?
Sex differences vital to explain inferiority (essentialism), but should now be equal due to the same skills between m/w
What is essentialism?
The fundamental biological difference between m/w - Radicals use this to explain womens inferiority in history, while other claim it is irrelevant
How do Post-modern fem view sex and gender?
Bell Hooks - disagree with difference in essentialism due to infertility and LGBTQ so biology-culture link is weak rather than fixed
What is pre-feminist thought around sex and gender?
Inferior to men because housework less valued that being breadwinner, therefore less able to be rational and no need for specialised knowledge
What are liberal feminists view towards sex and gender?
Accept sex differences but gender differences artificial in patriarchy, inferiority learned, thus reform needed (education,representation) to change culture
How do radical feminists view sex and gender?
Cultural rev to combat patriarchy, dialectical struggle between m/w and all sex functions must be replaced with androgyny (co-exist)
Millett - gender more significant so must be destroyed
How do radical fem support difference views in sex and gender?
Women and men different natures rooted in biology which should be celebrated rather than eradicated (different to radical views)
How do socialist feminists view sex and gender?
Oppression due to capitalism, patriarchy assigns inferior gender roles and become cheap labour force, must abolish capitalism or change system for moderates
What is Beauvoir’s quote about sex and gender?
“Women are not born, they are made” - supports socialst view on capitalism
What are the similarities on sex and gender?
-S+G different
-Equality argue sex is insignificant due to androgynous HN
-Femininity is constructed, so gender roles oppressive and should be rejected
What are the differences on sex and gender?
-Difference fem essentialism while equality argue no difference in sex
-Equality fem advocate equality while difference argue separatism
-Cultural fem promote femininity while equality fem argue androgyny
What is the patriarchy?
Power relationship between m/w, where society, state and economy is characterised by gender oppression - some argue limited to the family while other argue this allows men to dominate institutions in society also
How do liberal feminists view patriarchy?
emphasised unequal distribution of rights in public sphere (lacks representation), prevents equality but can be changed gradually through political and cultural reform
How do socialist fem view patriarchy?
Capitalism links to patriarchy, Rowbotham argues nature of society is economically determined, so dominant capitalists and men oppress women - revolution to destroy capitalism
Why do some socialist feminists reject the idea of the patriarchy?
Gender inequality is a sub-product of class inequality; so capitalism is the problem not patriarchy
What does Simone de Beauvoir say about patriarchy?
Only a man has the freedom to choose and set himself up as essential and subject, while women are inessential and object - balanced couple that are equal to combat
How do radical feminists view the patriarchy?
Deeply divisive, begins in family and invades society. Millet argued it is a hierarchal system that involves sexual and generation oppression, P must be removed by full attack or female counterculture
What does Millet say about relationships in the patriarchy?
Radical - hetero superior to homo so women needed to be sexually liberated (celibate) or lesbian to be free from oppression
How do Liberals fundamentally differ from other strands on the patriarchy?
All believe in some form of revolution (economic, militant approach) while liberals argue for gradual reforms using the state
What is Intersectionality?
How biological, social, religious and cultural categories interact to create a multidimensional character of injustice against women - seeks to identify system of oppression beyond male oppression
