Feminism - Core ideas - final Flashcards
What two things did feminism develop a distinction between?
Sex and gender.
What does sex mean to a feminist?
It refers to the biological differences between men and women that are inevitable, natural, and unalterable.
How should sex differences be treated by society according to feminists?
Irrelevant - the biological status of women should not affect their general status.
What is essentialism?
Refers to the fundamental nature of the biological differences between men and women that some feminists say are essential to an understanding of the status of women.
What does gender refer to?
The cultural differences between the sexes that feminists see as creating the patriarchy and that are not natural or inherent.
Who is often described as the founder of second wave feminism?
Betty Friedan
What type of feminist was Betty Friedan?
A liberal feminist.
According to liberal feminists, what causes the apparent inferiority of women?
They believe it is a learned behaviour, with its roots in history and reinforced by education and other cultural institutions.
What is androgyny?
People should be free to choose their sexual identity and may choose to have none at all.
How did Shulamith Firestone view history?
As a struggle between men and women and would be resolved by removing all sex differences and creating a state where men and women exist without sexual relations.
How do socialist feminists view the inferior status of women?
As being bound up in the whole operation of capitalism.
How does the phrase ‘the personal is political’ help to differentiate between liberal and radical feminists?
Liberals advocate the separation of the private sphere and the public sphere; for radicals, everything is political.
What is the private sphere?
Those aspects of life that are the concern of the individual and their close family and friends only - it is of no concern to that state or the rest of society.
What is the public sphere?
Aspects of social, political, and economic life that concern the whole community.
What do radical feminists mean when they refer to the ‘political’?
They mean that even in the private sphere patriarchal attitudes are reflected and reinforced and it is therefore not a private matter - if a woman is kept at home to raise a child it is not a personal matter because it impacts wider society.
What is the main characteristic of the modern state feminists are concerned with?
The patriarchy - the oppression and exploitation of women in a male-dominated society.
How do liberals view the state?
They see it as part of the problem (patriarchy) but also part of the solution.
How do radical feminists see the improvements made through the state, i.e. legislation and and education?
They are welcome but superficial. These reforms do not address the fundamental problem of systemic inequality.
How do feminists view society’s nature?
Patriarchal
For radical feminists, what is the key characteristic of modern society?
Patriarchy
What are the 2 ways radical feminists seek to combat patriarchy?
- A full-scale attack on cultural values possibly involving violence to male dominance.
- The creation of a female counter-culture with women leading completely separate lives from men.
What is the difference between liberal and radical feminists with regards to patriarchy?
Liberals view patriarchy as a characteristic rather than fundamental of society, meaning they believe it can be made less patriarchal whereas radicals do not see this as possible.
What is equality feminism?
The strive for equal treatment of men and women in all spheres.
What is difference feminism?
The acknowledgement that men and women have fundamental differences and these should be recognised in society.
