Feminist view of society Flashcards
P1: What is the main argument of Liberal Feminism?
Liberal feminists argue that gender inequality is due to socialisation and outdated laws, but progress can be achieved through reform.
How does Ann Oakley (1972) explain gender inequality?
Oakley states that gender roles are socially constructed, meaning they can change over time through legislation and cultural shifts.
What evidence supports the claim that legal and cultural changes promote gender equality?
Legislative changes: Equal Pay Act (1970), Sex Discrimination Act (1975). Cultural shifts: Rise in female participation in higher education and employment.
How does Liberal Feminism explain progress towards gender equality?
Liberal feminism is useful for understanding how gender roles are shaped and how change can occur through policy and social progress.
What is the Radical Feminist critique of Liberal Feminism?
Radical Feminist -Firestone (1970) argues that legal changes do not address the root cause of women’s oppression—patriarchy. Women are oppressed by their biology, making legal reform ineffective unless women become independent from men.
P2: What is the main argument of Radical Feminism?
Radical feminists argue that men dominate women in all aspects of life, both public (work, politics) and private (family, relationships).
How does Firestone (1970) explain women’s oppression?
Firestone argues that women’s oppression is biological, as they depend on men for childbirth and care. Solutions include separatism, political lesbianism, and rejecting traditional family structures.
What evidence supports the claim that radical feminism challenges male dominance?
Separatism movements (e.g., female-only communities) and political lesbianism—rejecting heterosexual relationships to escape male dominance.
How does Radical Feminism explain the depth of patriarchy?
Radical feminism is useful in highlighting the deep-rooted nature of patriarchy, showing that oppression extends beyond work and law into personal life.
What is the Marxist Feminist critique of Radical Feminism?
Delphy & Leonard (1992) argue that women’s oppression is rooted in capitalism, not just patriarchy. Women’s unpaid domestic labour benefits capitalism by reproducing the labour force and providing cheap labour.
P3: What is the main argument of Marxist Feminism?
Marxist feminists argue that capitalism, not just patriarchy, is the main cause of women’s oppression.
How do Marxist feminists explain women’s role in capitalism?
Women are a “reserve army of labour”, hired when needed (e.g., war, economic booms) and fired when not. They also perform the triple shift: paid work, housework, and emotional work.
What evidence supports the claim that capitalism disadvantages women?
Women are overrepresented in low-paid, part-time jobs and underrepresented in high-paying leadership roles.
How does Marxist Feminism explain women’s economic exploitation?
: Marxist feminism is useful in showing how economic systems disadvantage women, proving that gender inequality is not just about male control, but also capitalist exploitation.
What is the Postmodernist critique of Marxist Feminism?
Judith Butler (1990) argues that feminism is outdated because gender is no longer a fixed identity. Gender is performative, meaning individuals can construct their own identities rather than being controlled by structures like patriarchy or capitalism.
