Feminism strands

Question 1

What is the liberal feminist belief of the state?

Answer 1

The state can be a neutral arbiter for justice and equality.
- Legal reforms such as the Equal Pay Act (1963) in the U.S. and Women’s Suffrage movements.

Question 2

What is the liberal feminist belief of society?

Answer 2

Barriers to equality (e.g., legal and institutional discrimination).
- Example: Fight for women’s access to education and political participation (e.g., Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique”).

Question 3

What is the liberal feminist belief of human nature?

Answer 3

Humans are rational and equal in potential, and society should provide equal opportunities.
- Example: Advocacy for equal access to education and career opportunities for women

Question 4

What is the liberal feminist belief of economy?

Answer 4

Capitalism can accommodate equality with the right reforms (e.g., equal pay).

Question 5

What is the liberal feminist belief on the personal is political?

Answer 5

Personal issues reflect systemic inequality (e.g., workplace harassment).

Question 6

What is the liberal feminist belief on intersectionality?

Answer 6

Limited focus on intersectionality; mainly emphasizes gender equality, though it recognizes race and class in specific contexts
- (e.g., intersectional approaches in equal pay campaigns).

Question 7

Does liberal feminism argue for equality or difference?

Answer 7

• Equality is central; focuses on achieving sameness (e.g., equal rights, equal pay).
• Believes in equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender.

Question 8

What is the radical feminist belief of the state?

Answer 8

State as patriarchal; enforces male dominance. The state must be overthrown or radically restructured.
- Example: Kate Millett’s “Sexual Politics” critiques the patriarchal nature of the state and culture.

Question 9

What is the radical feminist belief of society?

Answer 9

Society is structured by patriarchy, and gender inequality permeates all aspects of life (e.g., family, media, education).

Example: The fight against domestic violence, rape culture, and patriarchal family structures

Question 10

What is the radical feminist belief of human nature?

Answer 10

Men dominate through violence, social norms, and political power; women are oppressed as a class.

• Example: Radical critiques of traditional gender roles in marriage, childrearing, and sexuality

Question 11

What is the radical feminist belief of economy?

Answer 11

Capitalism and patriarchy are intertwined, and both must be dismantled. Women’s unpaid domestic labor and exploitation in the workforce maintain these systems.

• Example: Radical feminist critiques of capitalist exploitation of women’s labor (e.g., Marxist Feminist critiques of domestic labor).

Question 12

What is the radical feminist belief on the personal is political?

Answer 12

The personal is inherently political—private spheres (e.g., home life, sexual violence) are reflections of larger political systems.

Question 13

What is the radical feminist belief on intersectionality?

Answer 13

Focus on gender oppression; intersectionality is less emphasized.

• Radical feminists often critique how race, class, and gender intersect but still primarily focus on gender as the central axis of oppression.

Question 14

Does radical feminism argue for equality or difference?

Answer 14

• Difference is emphasized.
• Focuses on the liberation of women from patriarchy through recognizing gender-specific oppression.
• The need for women-specific spaces (e.g., women’s health centers, separatism) rather than merely trying to be included in male-dominated spaces.
• See equality as impossible within a patriarchal structure and focus on fundamental change.

Question 15

What is the socialist feminist belief of the state?

Answer 15

State as a tool of capitalism and patriarchy that must be radically transformed to end exploitation.

Question 16

What is the socialist feminist belief of society?

Answer 16

Society is shaped by capitalism and patriarchy, which create intersecting inequalities.
- Example: The fight for equal access to education and paid work

Question 17

What is the socialist feminist belief of human nature?

Answer 17

Human behavior is shaped by material conditions, not biological determinism. Gender and class oppression are intertwined.

• Oppression of women is linked to capitalism.

Question 18

What is the socialist feminist belief of economy?

Answer 18

Capitalism exploits both working-class and women’s labor, particularly women’s domestic work, and keeps them in subordinate economic roles.

• Example: Unpaid domestic labor that supports capitalism by allowing men to participate in the workforce

Question 19

What is the socialist feminist belief on the personal is political?

Answer 19

The personal and economic are interconnected—personal experiences (like motherhood, work, and domestic labor) are impacted by broader social and economic systems.

Question 20

What is the socialist feminist belief on intersectionality?

Answer 20

Intersectionality is central.
- Socialist feminists emphasize how class, race, and gender oppression are interconnected.

Question 21

Does socialist feminism argue for equality or difference?

Answer 21

• Equality and difference both recognized.
• Advocates for structural change to create equality between men and women, but also acknowledges women’s role in caregiving and other “feminine” roles.
• Need for women to be integrated into the workforce but also for redistribution of labor

Question 22

What is the post modern feminist belief of the state?

Answer 22

State power is not fixed but is fluid and socially constructed. The state must be understood through diverse experiences of gender and power.

Question 23

What is the post modern feminist belief of society?

Answer 23

Society constructs and reinforces norms that oppress women through language, discourse, and cultural practices

Question 24

What is the post modern feminist belief of human nature?

Answer 24

Identity is fragmented; gender is socially constructed and fluid rather than fixed or binary.

Question 25

What is the post modern feminist belief of economy?

Answer 25

Economic systems are shaped by fluid power dynamics; economics should not rely on rigid gender roles and norms.

Question 26

What is the post modern feminist belief on the personal is political?

Answer 26

The personal is political—power relations are constructed through language and social norms. The personal experience of gender is a site of resistance

• Everyday phrases like “boys don’t cry” or “women are naturally nurturing” reinforce patriarchal power by normalising gender roles and controlling individuals’ behavior.

Question 27

What is the post modern feminist belief on intersectionality?

Answer 27

Strong focus on intersectionality, particularly around issues of race, sexuality, and gender identity.

Question 28

Does post modern feminism argue for equality or difference?

Answer 28

• Difference is central.
• Rejects the binary of equality vs. difference, emphasizing the fluidity and multiplicity of identities.
• Gender is not fixed or static, so the goal is not to make men and women equal, but to embrace diverse identities.

Question 29

What is the difference feminist belief of the state?

Answer 29

State reflects patriarchal norms and must be transformed to appreciate and value women’s contributions.

Question 30

What is the difference feminist belief of society?

Answer 30

Society devalues women’s traditionally “feminine” qualities (e.g., nurturing, care, emotional intelligence).

Question 31

What is the difference feminist belief of human nature?

Answer 31

Men and women are inherently different in certain aspects, and these differences should be recognized and celebrated rather than suppressed.

Question 32

What is the difference feminist belief of economy?

Answer 32

Economic systems undervalue “women’s work” (e.g., caregiving, emotional labor), and this work should be compensated and valued equally.

Question 33

What is the difference feminist belief on the personal is political?

Answer 33

The personal is political—women’s personal roles (e.g., caregiving, motherhood) are inherently political because they reflect a societal undervaluing of women’s contributions.

Question 34

What is the difference feminist belief on intersectionality?

Answer 34

Limited focus on intersectionality, but recognizes that women

Question 35

Does difference feminism argue for equality or difference?

Answer 35

Difference