feminism and the family Flashcards
feminist theories
start from the view that societies are based on patriarchy and male domination.
radical feminsim
radical feminists view society fundamentally as a patriarchy in which men dominate and oppress women. seek to abolish the patriarchy in a struggle to liberate women and girls from an unjust society by challenging existing social norms and institutions.
domestic labour
unpaid work such as housework and childcare within the home and family. feminists argue that this is mainly done by women and still applies even when women are working full time outside the home. women make the main contribution to family life, men receive the main benefits. delphy and leonard 1992
marxist feminism
feminists who see patriarchy as resulting from class inequalities.
benston 1972
she produces and rear’s future workers at no cost to the capitalist. an adult worker her husband in good running order by feeding and caring for him.
emotional labour delphy and leonard 1992
the inequalities of domestic labour also apply to emotional labour. radical feminists claim that it wives rather than husbands who provide emotional support for their partners. wives are more likely to listen, to agree, to sympathise, to understand, to excuse and to flatter.
economic dependency
married women are often economically dependent on their husbands. in most couples, it is the wife who gives up work to care for the children. mothers often return to part-time rather than full time employment in order to meet their childcare and domestic responsibilities.
male domination (hopkins 2000)
see the family as male dominated because wives are economically dependent on their husbands. men often control key areas of decision making such as moving house and important financial decisions. and sometimes use force to maintain control.
domestic violence- hopkins
is widespread and the majority of those on receiving end are women. around 570,0000 cases area reported each year in the uk and probably a far larger number go unreported in the dark/ hidden figure of crime
criticisms of feminism
feminists ignore the positive aspects of family life arguing that feminists are preoccupied with the negative side of the family life. they ignore the possibility that many women enjoy running a home and raising children. they ignore trend to gender equality, there is evidence of a trend towards gender equality between partners. critics argue that rather than celebrating this trend, feminists remain focused on the rest of the inequalities that women face.
different strands of feminism
liberal, marxist, radical, difference
marxist feminist angela davis
focuses on the relationship between race, class, and gender. in her writing she discusses how capitalism and racism intersect to oppress women of colour advocating for a broader understanding of feminism that includes the liberation of women cannot be separated from the fight against racial and economic oppression
mariarosa dalla costa “the power of women and the subversion of the community” marxist feminist
explores the role of women in the labour force and their struggles against exploitation. she emphasizes the need for women to organise and resist both capitalist and patriarchal structures advocating for a collective approach to address their issues.
silvia federici “wages against housework” marxist feminist
argues that women’s unpaid domestic labour is essential to the capitalist economy. she emphasises that by recognizing this labour, women can challenge their exploitation and demand wages for housework, highlighting the importance of reproductive labour in sustaining capitalism.
