Feminist Theory Of Gender Inequality

Question 1

What are the five explanations of gender inequality?

Answer 1

1. Sexual harassment in the workplace is the cause of gender inequality- radical feminist stance
2. Violence that is a result of patriarchal traditions of men’s right to control their women- radical feminist stance
3. Socialisation into gender roles creates gender inequality- liberal feminist stance
4. Discrimination prevents women from having equal opportunities
5. Not all women share the same experience of inequality- patriarchy has shifted from private to public- post feminist stance

Question 2

Who said sexual harassment in the workplace is the cause of gender inequality?

Answer 2

• Adkins

Question 3

What did Adkins say?

Answer 3

• labour market had gendered character- there are jobs for men and jobs for women
• many pub and hotel chains had a deliberate policy of employing married couples, typically husband was manager and wife contribute to the running of the hotel or pub showing vertical segregation (working in the same field of job but different roles)
• strong horizontal segregation (men and women do different types of jobs) at theme parks where the high speed ride operatives were mostly young men and women were put into catering roles
• female employers were often subject to sexual harassment and senior staff were unlikely to do anything to prevent such behaviour
• in many service sector jobs, being sexually attractive and engaging in sexual servicing are integral parts of women’s work

Question 4

Who said violence that is a result of patriarchal traditions of men’s right to control their women?

Answer 4

• Johnson

Question 5

What did Johnson say?

Answer 5

• patriarchal terrorism which they claim explains violence that is a result of patriarchal traditions of men’s rights to control their women
• very critical of the family and marriage as an institution
• concerns over traditional patriarchal values on rise due to influence of figurehead such as Andrew Tate who has beliefs such as a women is given away and property of husbands

Question 6

Who said socialisation into gender roles creates gender inequality?

Answer 6

• Oakley

Question 7

What did Oakley say?

Answer 7

• children are socialised into gender roles through manipulation, canalisation, verbal appellations and different activities
• manipulation includes encouraging or discouraging gender appropriate behaviour, canalisation includes parents directing children’s interests into certain toys and play, verbal appellations includes use of gendered language and different activities includes the different activities children are encouraged to take part in

Question 8

Who said discrimination prevents women from having equal opportunities?

Answer 8

• Mcrobbie

Question 9

What did Mcrobbie say?

Answer 9

• bedroom culture is where girls turn inwards away from boys who can humiliate them and socialise in their safe space adopting a culture of femininity
• culture of femininity is the thought that excellence is achieved by caring for others, marriage and appearance

Question 10

Who said not all women share the same experience of inequality- patriarchy has shifted from private to public?

Answer 10

• Walby

Question 11

What did Walby say?

Answer 11

• wrote about the effect in women of the combined systems of patriarchy and capitalism
• developed the concept of triple systems of oppression and has developed her ideas further to embrace the concept of intersectionality which recognises the complex interplay between different forms of social inequality including class, gender, religion etc.
• concept of patriarchy as important in providing am understanding of gender inequality
• patriarchy is not fixed and changes over time and arugula it has evolved from private patriarchy where women were limited to the domestic sphere of home and family to public patriarchy in which women have entered the public sphere of employment, politics but continue to suffer disadvantage
• this disadvantage happens through six patriarchal structures in society: paid employment, the household, the state, cultural institutions, sexuality and violence