Feminism Flashcards
Define ‘patriarchy’.
When society is headed by men.
What 6 elements did Sylvia Walby (1990) suggest there are to patriarchy?
1) Paid work - women are likely to be paid less
2) The household - women are likely to do more housework and childcare
3) The state - women are much less likely to have access to formal power
4) Violence - women are much more likely to be abused
5) Sexuality - women’s sexuality is more likely to be treated negatively
6) Culture - women are misrepresented in media and public cultures
What 3 main things do Radical Feminists believe in?
1) Patriarchy being the root of women’s problems
2) Being concerned with the way in which women are ‘used’ by men
3) Anti-marriage and anti-family
What 5 things do Radical Feminists believe causes gender inequality?
1) Men exploiting women
2) Men dominating women physically and culturally
3) Patriarchal ideologies operate in society to keep women in a weakened position
4) Men’s power is reinforced through the physical treatment of women- such as being sexual objects
5) Pornography, rape, and violence all from part of this power relationship
What 4 things do Radical Feminists believe are the way forward?
1) Separatism from men in the class of gender
2) Living without men was viewed as a viable option for female empowerment
3) Reproduction without men could be achieved through medical technologies
4) Lesbianism as a lifestyle choice
What are 4 criticisms of Radical Feminism?
1) Too extreme - matriarchy would merely reverse the situation
2) Other feminists argue that the economy is the source of women’s oppression not men
3) Difference between women’s experiences are ignored
4) Some men treat women equally and consider themselves to be feminists too
What 3 main things do Marxist Feminists believe in?
1) That the oppression of women is largely a result of capitalism
2) Nuclear family benefits powerful and rich men at expense of working class women
3) Wives provide emotional support to relieve stress caused by the workplace
What 5 things do Marxist Feminists believe causes gender inequality?
1) Women being forced to serve the needs of capitalism
2) Men control economic resources
3) Women are disadvantaged due to this lack of power
4) Women serve the role of reproduction of the labour force
5) Women are a ‘reserve army of labour’
What 2 things do Marxist Feminists believe are the way forward?
1) Need to overthrow capitalism as a system
2) Communism will bring equality
What are 3 criticisms of Marxist Feminism?
1) It is now also grandparents who are used as the reserve army of labour
2) Full equality was not gained in communist countries as still earned less than men
3) Doesn’t take into account the improvements
What 3 main things do Liberal Feminists believe in?
1) Equal opportunities - ensuring women are treated the same as men
2) Rights in education and the workplace
3) Changes in the law to ensure equal rights
What 3 things do Liberal Feminists believe causes gender inequality?
1) Men being socialised to exploit women
2) Ignorance on behalf of men to the plight of women
3) No one benefits from inequality
What 3 things do Liberal Feminists believe are the way forward?
1) Changes in the law
2) Equal rights legalisation
3) Changes in education
What are 4 criticisms of Liberal Feminism?
1) Lacks any radical ideas and so pushes for gradual change
2) Change has come but slowly
3) Legislative changes aren’t always enforced
4) Ignored the inequality experience by different groups of women
What are 4 criticisms of Feminism in general?
1) They ignore other aspects of society - preoccupied with gender inequality
2) New Right - saw that masculinity became threatened (e.g. underachievement in education) due to feminism
3) Radical Feminism fails to acknowledge some of the positive changes toward equality
4) Hakim debate - some women may want to stay at home and bring up children
