Feminist view of the family Flashcards
How do liberal feminists view the family
-Optimistic view
-March of progress (look how far they have come)
-Focus on increased equality that exists
-Many couples today see eachother on equal terms
-Man has found his feminine side and takes an active role in the housework and childcare
How has feminism impacted society?
(Family)
-Women go to work and contribute financially
-have more say in family matters,
-stay at home dads
-men doing more domestic work
How has feminism impacted society?
(Workplace)
-less sexism
-better chance of promotion
-more women in top jobs
How has feminism impacted society?
(Laws)
-Equal pay act
-Pension age
-discrimination
-sex discrimination act
How has feminism impacted society?
(Social policy)
-joint parental leave
-paternity leave
-Family tax credit
-Nursery vouchers
How has feminism impacted society?
(education)
Girls are treated more equally in schools and are out performing boys
What do radical feminists think of the family?
-Negative view of the familh
-men benefit more than women and do very little housework and childcare
-see marriage as a type of prison and violence is used when men dont get their way
-Support diversity (gay, divorced!
What would feminists argue about housework?
-Its as real as waged work outside the home
-Housework and childcare are unpaid and unrecognised
-Men gain from housework like cooked meals
What did Oakley emphasise?
Housework is hard, routine and unrewarding and remains primarily the responsibility of women though sometimes men help
The myth os symmetrical family
-women peform most of the housework tasks
-They make sacrifices to buy children clothes and to make sure other family members are fed
-Less likely to make the most important decisions in the family
-Are more likely to have their career in payed employment impacted . As tbey will be expected to assume the domestic role when marfying and having children
What is the glass ceiling?
An invisible systematic barrier that prevents certain people from rising to senior level positions within an organisation
What do marxist feminists think about the family?
-See the family as negative
-Womens oppression is capitalism as capitalists exploit the working class and amd women contribute
The ways they contribute are:
-looking after men by satisfying their physical, sexual and emotional needs
-Triple shift
-Give birth to the next generation of wokers (baby factories)
-women are the ‘reserve army of labour)
Describe the reserve army of labour
The primary labour market tends to be:
-men
-full time
-pensions
-sick leaves
The secondary labour market tends to be:
-women
-zero hour contracts
-dont get prnsion contribution
-little rights
Criticisms of marxist feminists
-Tends to ignore the diversity of the modern family as they assume nuclear family type
-outdated ‘takers of shit’ women work now
-Possibly exaggerated negative pixture
-women are portrayed as passive victims of exploitation
Criticism of feminism
-often fail to explain and challenge underlying causes of womens oppression such as with join parental leave only 6% of men do it
-Jenny somerville says radical feminists fail to recognise womens position has improved considerably and argues that seperation is unlikely to work (men need to be included)
-New right argue that equality isnt always a good thing (triple shift)
-liberal feminists think radical feminists are too radical
