FEMINISM

Question 1

What type of theory are feminists?

Answer 1

Conflict Theory

Question 2

What do Feminists believe is socially constructed and explain it?

Answer 2

Almost all feminists agree that “gender” is socially constructed. This means that gender roles are
learnt rather than determined by biology, and the most significant institution where we are
socialised into our appropriate roles and norms of behaviour is the family.

Question 3

Who are the 5 key writers who are the main sociologists who adapt on theoretic perspectives of family?

Answer 3

1) Fran Ansley
2) Ann Oakley
3) Kate Smith
4) Elizabeth Bott
5) Arlie Hoschild

Question 4

Who benefits from gender roles more?

Answer 4

Gender roles were created by men for their benefit.

Question 5

What is the term used to describe male dominate society?

Answer 5

‘Patriarchal’ society

Question 6

Which family structure are feminists critical of? And why?

Answer 6

Nuclear family-
because Essentially, feminists viewed the function of the family as a breeding ground where patriarchal values were learned by an individual, which in turn created a patriarchal society.

Question 7

What 2 key functions do feminists overall believe the nuclear family performed? And how does this happen?

Answer 7

1) The family socialised girls to accept subservient roles within the family, whilst socialising boys to believe they were superior – and this happens through children witnessing and then recreating the parental relationship

2) it socialised women into accepting the “housewife” role
as the only possible/acceptable role for a women. Indeed it was the only way to be feminine/to be
a woman.

Question 8

What are the 3 types of feminism?

Answer 8

1) Liberal Feminists
2) Marxists Feminists
3) Radical Feminists

Question 9

(Liberal Feminists)What type of view do they view the family?And where do they get this from? And what does this mean?

Answer 9

‘March of Progress’- From Young and Wilmott-
This means that they believe that the family is gradually changing for the better over time by becoming more democratic and
more equal.

Question 10

(Liberal Feminists)What do they argue that evidence shows in terms of gender equality?

Answer 10

They argue that evidence shows men are doing a greater share of domestic labour (housework, childcare), decision making is becoming more equal and that male and female
children are socialised in a much more similar manner with similar aspirations.

Question 11

(Liberal Feminists) Why do they think the trend towards equality is happening?

Answer 11

Liberal feminists
believe this trend has been facilitated by legal reforms, such as the sex discrimination act and by
changes in social attitudes. Essentially, Liberal Feminists believe adult relationships are far less patriarchal than those in the 1950 and therefore children are less likely to learn patriarchal value.

Question 12

(Liberal Feminists) What do they believe will eventually happen and how will it happen?

Answer 12

They believe we are moving towards greater equality, but that full equality will depend on further reforms and changes in the attitudes ad socialisation patterns of both sexes.

Question 13

(Liberal Feminists) Which law do they believe has impacted women’s oppression?

Answer 13

Sex Discrimination Act (1975)

Question 14

(Liberal Feminists) Give 3 criticisms of Liberal Feminism

Answer 14

1) They fail to challenge the underlying causes of women’s oppression
2) They also fail to believe that changes in the law or in people’s attitudes will be enough to bring equality.
3) Marxist and radical feminists believe instead that far-reaching changes to deep-rooted social structures are needed.

Question 15

(Liberal Feminists) Give an example of a Liberal feminist

Answer 15

Ann Oakley

Question 16

(Marxist Feminism)They don’t believe that the main cause of women’s oppression in the family are men. Instead it is…

Answer 16

Capitalism

Question 17

(Marxist Feminism)What are the 3 functions for women’s oppression for capitalism?

Answer 17

1) Women reproduce the labour force
2) Women absorb anger
3) Women are a ‘reserve army of cheap labour’

Question 18

(Marxist Feminism)How do women reproduce the labour force?

Answer 18

Through their unpaid domestic labour, by socialising the

next generation of workers and servicing the current workers (their husbands!)

Question 19

(Marxist Feminism)How are women ‘takers of shit’?Link to a writer and a theory.

Answer 19

Fran Ansley (1972) describes wives as ‘ takers of shit’ who soak up the frustration their husbands feel because of the alienation and exploitation they suffer at work.(For Marxists this explains male domestic violence against women) –This is linked to Parson’s warm bath theory.

Question 20

(Marxist Feminism)How are women a ‘reserve army of cheap labour’ ?

Answer 20

As they can be taken on when extra workers are needed. When no longer needed, employers can ‘let them go’ to return to heir primary role as unpaid domestic labour.

Question 21

(Marxist Feminism) What are the 3 solutions to gender inequalities within the family?

Answer 21

1) We need to tackle capitalism too tackle patriarchy.
2) Softer solutions include paying women for childcare and housework–thus putting an economic value on what is still largely women’s work.
3) Stronger solutions include the abolition of Capitalism ad the ushering in of communism

Question 22

(Marxist Feminism) Who is the Key thinker of Marxist Feminism?

Answer 22

Fran Ansley

Question 23

(Marxist Feminism) Give a criticism of Marxists Feminism

Answer 23

It should be apparent that not only is Patriarchal oppression overt in many pre-capitalist societies,
but also that gender equality has tended to gone hand in hand with the development of Capitalism.

Question 24

(Radical Feminism) What do they believe that all relationships between men and women are based on?

Answer 24

Based on patriarchy

Question 25

(Radical Feminism) What are the 2 key divisions in society is between men and women?

Answer 25

1) Men are the enemy: they are the source of women’s oppression and exploitation.
2) The family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society. Men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic and sexual violence or the threat of it.

Question 26

(Radical Feminism) What system needs to be overturned and in particular what needs to be abolished for women’s oppression to stop.

Answer 26

For radical feminists, the patriarchal system needs to be overturned. In particular, the family, which they see as the root of women’s oppression,must be abolished.

Question 27

(Radical Feminism) What is the definition of separatism?

Answer 27

Radical feminists argue that the only way to abolish the family and capitalism is through separatism whereby, women must organise themselves to live independently of men.

Question 28

(Radical Feminism)What is ‘political lesbianism’?

Answer 28

The idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive because they involve ‘sleeping with the enemy’.

Question 29

(Radical Feminism) What does it mean when Radical feminists argue that there is a ‘dark side of family life’?(statistics)

Answer 29

According to the British Crime Survey domestic violence accounts for a sixth of all violent crime
and nearly 1 in 4 women will experience Domestic Violence at some point in their lifetime and women are much more likely to experience this than men

Question 30

(Radical Feminism) Give 3 criticisms for Radical Feminism

Answer 30

1)Ignores the progress that women have made in many areas e.g. work, controlling fertility,
divorce.
2) Too unrealistic - due to heterosexual attraction separatism is unlikely.
3) Ignores domestic/emotional abuse suffered by men who often don’t report it.

Question 31

(Radical Feminism)Who is the main Radical Feminists?

Answer 31

Shilamouth Firestone