Feminism and the family

Question 1

Feminism

Answer 1

Feminists argue that society is patriarchal and that this is reflected in family life. Indeed the family for many feminists the family is a cite of male power and the cornerstone of a Patriarchal society

Question 2

Radical feminists

Answer 2

Argue that the family represent a form of patriarchal control, where women’s opportunities are restricted. Men are the main beneficiaries of women’s performing unpaid domestic labour such as housework and children. Delphy and Leonard (1992) point to the fact that men are still regarded as the heads of the households, often making the key decisions. They control the finances and property in most families. Women are expected to perform unpaid domestic work and undertake reproductive and sexual work. Women contribute far more to families both in practical tasks and looking after emotional needs but receive less in return as men often control the finances.

Question 3

Benston: Marxist feminism

Answer 3

Analyses the way in which unpaid domestic work of women helps to support the capitalist system. Women help to reproduce labour power in two ways:
-Women renew men’s ability to go out to work and create profits for the capitalist class
-Women also socialise and care for children, reproducing the next generation of workers at no cost to capitalist employers
Women are seen by Marxists feminists as being exploited in family life for the benefit of men but also for the profitability of the whole capitalist system due to their unpaid work.

Question 4

Somerville: liberal feminism

Answer 4

Liberal feminists point to the extent to which their approach has achieved a range of legal rights for women such as equal pay, laws against sex discrimination, access to abortion and contraception, and equal opportunities in education. Jennifer Somerville (2000) argues that the picture of women being exploited by men in families is outdated and points to the progress women have made in achieving equality in family life and personal relationships. Women have much more choice today about whether to marry or cohabit, to become single mothers or engage in lesbian relationships that they did in the past.

Question 5

Evaluation

Answer 5

-Feminists tend to emphasise the negative aspects of traditional nuclear families, particularly for women and have ignored the positive aspects of family life. Many women gain real satisfaction from performing traditional roles in the family such as bringing up children.
-Some approaches can be seen as outdated since they portray families as they were 50 years ago.
-Catherine Hakim (2000) argued that women are now free to make choices about their lives, for example, many women choose to only work part-time and take on a greater share of the domestic responsibilities than their partners because that is what they want, they have not been forced into these role by the power of patriarchy.
Some feminists have been accused of just focusing on gender inequalities and patriarchy.
-In reality, women are extremely diverse coming from different situations in terms of working or not working, age, social class, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. Women are then likely to experience family life in different ways.