Feminism Flashcards
what is feminism?
The belief that women should be allowed the same rights, power, and opportunities as men and be treated in the same way,
what is patriarchy?
The idea that men are deemed higher
who is Patricia a cain?
A professor that specialises in sexuality and the law.
what did Patricia a cain say about law?
’ feminist theorists have made valuable contributions to law by adding a female perspective to legal discussions
what is feminism in terms of legal theory?
Conventional legal theory being gender-blind
E.g. R Dworkin
Response to this silence: defeaning (e.g. university courses & law..)
However, the key focus of Fem not on law’s function (rather how it has been used to create inequality e.g. DV)
Not merely academic
Polemical: ‘the personal is political’
What is feminism trying to achieve in law?
Feminist jurisprudence analyses fundamental legal relations and principles and highlights the flaws leading to unequal treatment of women – once this is identified then these issues can be redressed
It does not strive to create a female bias legal system that favours women – just a system that does not dis-favour women
what are the tensions between feminism?
liberal feminists believe women to be treated “gender neutral and be undiffernciated in comparison to men”
Other feminist believe that they should completely neglect social and biological difference between sexes as these differences reduces the women opportunites for political rights.
Essentialism
what is Essentialism in feminism?
Essentialism is an element of feminist ideology based upon the argument that women are fundamentally different to men.
Essentialist believe that women are superior virtue and spirituality. Feminine values such as empathy and nurture may be contrasted with masculine values centred upon violence and destruction.
Whereas men seek to conquer and destroy; women give birth to life and seek harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Feminine values could also help to reorder the global system and prevent the reckless behaviour of testosterone-fuelled activities that have led to the credit crunch, environmental destruction and warfare.
what aspect of essentialism faces an clash?
Western feminists reaction towards FGM or wearing veils as women in western societies view this as gender oppression.
Essentialism neglects class, race sexual preference and nationality.
what are the types of feminism?
Liberal Feminism
Cultural or Difference Feminism
Radical Feminism
Postmodern Feminism
what is Liberal Feminism?
Argued for women to have the same legal rights and privileges as men in terms of matters such as voting, education.
what is Liberal Feminism? What is liberal in it?
Individual rights (both civic and political) at the heart of liberalism (everyone should have basic personal rights & that these rights ought not to be violated by the state, except to protect others from harm )
what is the critisms with liberal feminism?
Makes women into men’ & ‘assimilates women to a standard set by and for men’.
Equalisation was towards a male norm
the main idea was that men and women are equally rational, therefore should be having the same rights.
Accused of detracting attention by concentrating on the elimination of the visible manifestations of sexual inequality.
E.g. the public- private division
what is cultural feminism?
Mainly attributed to Carol Gilligan (an American educational psychologist.)
Sexes are different, and women’s contribution to the world is both undervalued and unrecognised by men.
Women should be equally recognised in law but in a way they gives weight to their equal moral voice. Woman are different, and these differences should be valued and protected in law.
what are the cultural feminists arguing?
Cultural feminism is a variety of feminism which emphasizes essential differences between men and women, based on biological differences in reproductive capacity.
Cultural feminism attributes to those differences distinctive and superior virtues in women. What women share, in this perspective, provides a basis for “sisterhood,” or unity, solidarity and shared identity. Thus, cultural feminism also encourages building a shared women’s culture.
Cultural feminists also tend to value qualities identified with women as superior or and preferable to qualities identified with men, whether the qualities are products of nature or culture.
