Gender Inequality - Feminist Theory

Question 1

Define ‘stratification’.

Answer 1

The hierarchical layering of society into distinct groups with different levels of wealth and status.

Question 2

Identify the Functionalist views of gender.

Answer 2

• Parsons stated that there are biological differences between the genders that causes other differences to arise, such as women taking on the expressive role and men taking on an instrumental role
• Murdock argued that women are there to gratify the male sex drive
• They view men as the breadwinners

Question 3

Identify the New Right views of gender.

Answer 3

• Women cause a problem for men with a crisis of masculinity (a less patriarchal society has developed a ‘new’ male that threatens the stereotypical male ego)
• Feminisation of society with coursework in education and other factors that disadvantage men

Question 4

Identify the Marxist views of gender.

Answer 4

• Engels argued that the nuclear family is set up so that men can pass down their inheritance, controlling females by ensuring sin is their own
• Women experience the same problems as men under a capitalist society
• Men are exploited as submissive workers and females are exploited as the reserve army of labour
• Men and women are treated the same in the same class identity

Question 5

Identify the 4 main types of Feminism.

Answer 5

1) Liberal
2) Radical
3) Marxist
4) Black

Question 6

What do all these different types of Feminisms agree on?

Answer 6

That society is patriarchal and functions to suppress and cause inequality for women.

Question 7

State what Liberal Feminists state cause gender inequality for women.

Answer 7

Men being socialised to exploit women in a patriarchal society through agents such as the family, education, and the media.
- e.g. the media objectifying women due to a ‘cultural lag’

Question 8

State what Liberal Feminists state is the way forward to reducing gender inequality.

Answer 8

• Further changes in the law (e.g. more equal rights legislation)
• Changes in education
• Changes in socialisation that will lead to changes in society

Question 9

Identify 2 Liberal Feminists and their views.

Answer 9

1) Ann Oakley (1974) argued that the main reason for subordination of women in the labour market is the continuity of dominance of the housewife role
2) Sue Sharpe (1994) found that in the 1990s the stereotypical housewife role had become less desirable as women were more likely to focus on their career in light of changes to legislation (Equal Pay Act 1970)

Question 10

State what Marxist Feminists state cause gender inequality for women.

Answer 10

• Women being forced to serve the needs of capitalism by playing the role of reproducing the next generation of workers and acting as a reserve army of labour
• Men controlling economic resources ultimately disadvantaging women due to their lack of power

Question 11

Give evidence for the Marxist Feminist view of men controlling economic resources.

Answer 11

Only 6/100 CEOs are women.

- High Pay Centre Report (2017)

Question 12

State what Marxist Feminists state is the way forward to reducing gender inequality.

Answer 12

• Overthrowing capitalism

- Introducing communism in its place to introduce more equality

Question 13

Identify 2 Marxist Feminists and their views.

Answer 13

1) Ansley (1976) argued that women function to soak up male workers frustration to enable them to continue complacent work for the ruling class
2) Benston (1972) argued that women reproduce and maintain productivity of labour force

Question 14

State what Radical Feminists state cause gender inequality for women.

Answer 14

• Men dominating and exploiting women
• Patriarchal ideologies operating to keep women oppressed
• Men’s power being reinforced through the submission of women and the physical ways of enforcing that

Question 15

Give evidence for the Radical Feminist view that men reinforce their power through physical means.

Answer 15

1/4 of women will experience domestic abuse at some stage in their life, compared to 1/6 of men.
- British Crime Survey (2004)

Question 16

State what Radical Feminists state is the way forward to reducing gender inequality.

Answer 16

• Separating men and women to empower women
• Reproduction without men is achievable
• Lesbianism as a lifestyle choice of heterosexual relations

Question 17

Identify a Radical Feminist and their views.

Answer 17

Sylvia Walby (1990) argued that there are 6 elements of patriarchy that causes inequality for women:

1) Lower pay
2) Housework
3) Less access to formal power
4) Abuse
5) Sexuality viewed as negative
6) Misrepresentation in the media

Question 18

State what Black Feminists state cause gender inequality for women.

Answer 18

• Having a double burden from being an ethnic minority and female
• Racial discrimination in social institutions combined with sexism

Question 19

State what Black Feminists state is the way forward to reducing gender inequality.

Answer 19

• To tackle racial discrimination primarily

Question 20

Identify 2 Black Feminists and their views.

Answer 20

1) Hill-Collins argued that there existed a racial bias in Feminism in which white feminists were guilty of racism
2) Rose Brewer (1993) argued that Black women suffer disadvantages because of their multiple characteristics and each inequality reinforces the other

Question 21

Identify a strength of Feminism.

Answer 21

It has contributed towards our understanding of gender issues in society and has helped women’s experiences and position through legislation.

Question 22

Describe post-colonial Feminism and how this criticises Feminism.

Answer 22

• The oppression of women in LDCs has been created through historical experiences with colonialism
• Imposed Western culture has introduced and reinforced patriarchy
• Critical of Western Feminism for viewing all women’s position as the same when in fact it is worse in developing countries

Question 23

How do the New Right criticise Feminism?

Answer 23

• Blame them for the decline in nuclear families which are viewed as the most functional to society
• Male underachievement in school due to feminisation of the education system
• Crisis of masculinity

Question 24

Identify 2 sociologists who criticise the message of Feminism.

Answer 24

1) Faludi (1992) suggests that it went too far in its criticisms of society and created a backlash that undermines the message
2) Brooks (1997) argues that there needs to be a shift from the old debates about inequality to new debates as they are outdated (e.g. not all women experience patriarchal oppression)

Question 25

Describe how Labelling Theory can explain gender inequality.

Answer 25

• Stereotypes of a genders place labels on their behaviour (e.g. women being a housewife)
• These labels lead to gender inequality as expectations of what they should do limit their opportunities (e.g. women being denied high positions for fear of maternity leave due to expectation of having a child)

Question 26

Describe intersectionality as a conclusion to gender inequality.

Answer 26

It is not just gender that dictates how much inequality a person experiences as many other factors (such as ethnicity and age) can affect this, showing that the relationship is more complex.