Feminist Perspectives on the Family

Question 1

Outline the liberal feminist view

Answer 1

They are concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination and for equal
rights and opportunities for women

Question 2

How do liberal feminists argue that women’s oppression will be overcome?

Answer 2

• They argue women’s oppression is being gradually overcome through attitude and law changes, Sex Discrimination Act (1975) which outlaws discrimination in employment
• They believe we’re moving towards more equality, but full equality depends on more reforms and changes in attitudes and socialisation patterns changes of both sexes.

Question 3

Describe the liberal feminist view on the family

Answer 3

• They hold a similar view to march of progress theorists as there’s been progress, but full gender equality in the family hasn’t been achieved
• e.g. studies show men doing more domestic labour, while the way parents socialise their sons and daughters is more equal than the past and they have similar aspiration for them

Question 4

How do other feminists criticise liberal feminists?

Answer 4

• For failing to challenge the underlying causes of women’s oppression and for believing that changes in law or attitudes will be enough to bring equality.
• Marxist and radical feminists believe far-reaching changes to deep-rooted social structures are needed

Question 5

Outline the Marxists feminist view on the family

Answer 5

• They argue the main cause of women’s oppression in the family is capitalism, not men, and their oppression causes several functions for capitalism.
• They see women’s oppression in the family as linked to the exploitation of the working class

Question 6

What are the 3 functions that women’s oppression serves for capitalism?

Answer 6

• Women reproduce the labour force
• Women absorb anger
• Women are a reserve army of cheap labour

Question 7

How do women reproduce the labour force as described by Marxists feminists

Answer 7

Through unpaid housework, socialising the next generation of workers and maintaining the current one

Question 8

How do women absorb anger as described by Marxists feminists

Answer 8

• They absorb anger that would be directed at capitalism.
• Ansley (1972) says wives are ‘takers of shit’ who soak up their husbands feelings due to exploitation at work. For Marxists, this explains male domestic violence against women

Question 9

How are women a reserve army of cheap labour as described by Marxists feminists

Answer 9

They are a reserve army of cheap labour, that can take on work when needed. When no longer needed, employers can ‘let them go’ to return to their primary role as unpaid domestic labour

Question 10

What is the Marxists feminists solution?

Answer 10

The family must be abolished at the time as a socialist revolution replaces capitalism with a classes society

Question 11

Outline the radical feminist view

Answer 11

All societies have been founded on patriarchy. They argue the key division is between men and women

Question 12

Describe radical feminism

Answer 12

• They argue the solution is separatism of men and women. Some argue for ‘political lesbianism’, idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive. Similarly, Greer (2000) argue for the creation of all-female houses as an alternative to the heterosexual family
• However, for liberal feminists, Somerville (2000), radical feminists fail to recognise the improvement of women’s positions, e.g. better access to divorce, job opportunities etc. Somerville also says heterosexual attraction would make separatism unlikely. However she recognises full equality isn’t reached and there’s a need for ‘family friendly’ policies, e.g. flexible working to promote greater equality between partners

Question 13

Describe the key divisions defined by the radical feminists

Answer 13

• Men are the enemy: they’re the source of women’s oppression and exploitation
• The family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society. Men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour and their sexual services, they dominate women through domestic and sexual violence or the threat of it.

Question 14

What is the solution for radical feminists?

Answer 14

• The patriarchal system needs to be overturned, and the family which is the root of women’s oppression.
• The solution is separatism, where women organise themselves to live independently form men.
• Many radical feminists argue for ‘political lesbianism’, idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive. Similarly, Greer (2000) argue for the creation of all-female houses as an alternative to the heterosexual family

Question 15

Describe ‘political lesbianism’

Answer 15

• Many radical feminists argue for ‘political lesbianism’, idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive as they involve ‘sleeping with the family’.
• Similarly, Greer (2000) argues for the creation of all-female houses or ‘matrilocal’ houses as an alternative to the heterosexual family

Question 16

Describe difference feminism

Answer 16

• They argue we can’t generalise women’s experiences and that white and black women, MC and WC women, lesbian and heterosexual women have very differenced experiences of the family from one another
• e.g. by regarding the family as purely negative, white feminists neglect black women’s experience of racism while black feminists view the black family positively as a source of support

Question 17

What separates difference feminism from the other feminists views?

Answer 17

They all assume that most women live in conventional nuclear families and that they share a similar experience of family life, while difference feminists don’t

Question 18

What do other feminists argue about difference feminism?

Answer 18

However, other feminists argue that it neglects that all women may share experiences. e.g. they all are at risk of domestic violence and sexual assault, low pay etc.