Feminism: Liberal or reformist feminism

Question 1

What do liberals believe all humans should have? How does this logic relate to feminism?

Answer 1

• equal rights

- as men and women are human beings so both should have the same inalienable human rights

Question 2

What is reformism?

Answer 2

• the ideas that progress towards equal rights can be achieved by gradual reforms or piecemeal changes in society without the need for revolution

Question 3

What are the two things that liberal feminists think should change?

Answer 3

• laws and policies

- cultural change

Question 4

Give some examples of laws that promote feminism

Answer 4

• laws and policies against sex discrimination

Question 5

Give some examples of the cultural stereotypes that liberal feminists want to change

Answer 5

• belief that women are less rational and more dominated by emotion
• that they’re more suited to childrearing and housework

Question 6

What do liberal feminists distinguish between?

Answer 6

• sex and gender

Question 7

How do liberal feminists believe sexist attitudes/ stereotypical beliefs about gender are constructed and transmitted?

Answer 7

• socially constructed and transmitted through socialisation

Question 8

How do liberal feminists believe we can achieve gender equality?

Answer 8

• change society’s socialisation patterns

Question 9

What two things do LF do to try and change society’s socialisation patterns?

Answer 9

• seek to appropriate role models in education and the family
• they challenge gender stereotyping the media

Question 10

As LF is an optimistic theory and is in keeping with the Enlightenment project and its faith in progress - what do LF believe about changes in socialisation and culture?

Answer 10

• these changes are gradually leading to more rational attitudes to gender and overcoming ignorance and prejudice

Question 11

As LF is an optimistic theory and is in keeping with the Enlightenment project and its faith in progress - what do LF believe about changes in political action introducing anti-discriminatory laws/ policies?

Answer 11

• it’s steadily bringing about progress to a fairer society in which a person’s gender is no longer important

Question 12

How can liberalism feminism be seen as a critique of the functionalist view of gender roles?

Answer 12

• functionalists distinguish between instrumental and expressive roles and in Parsons’ view, instrumental roles are the domain of men and expressive roles are the domain of women - LF challenge this distinction

Question 13

What do LF argue about roles in both the public and private spheres?

Answer 13

• both genders are equally capable of performing roles in both spheres and that traditional roles prevent both men and women from leading fulfilling lives

Question 14

What do LF aim to do?

Answer 14

• break down the barrier between the two spheres

Question 15

Although LF critiques the functionalist view, in what way is it the closest to a consensus view of society?

Answer 15

• it recognises conflict between men and women but these are not seen as inevitable but merely a product of outdated attitudes

Question 16

How would ending the gender division of labour benefit men?

Answer 16

• it would allow men to express their ‘feminine’ nurturing side