gender + society Flashcards
Feminism.
Political, philosophical, economic, psychological, sociological, etc movements seeking to free women from male dominance with independance and dignity.
Mary Wollstonecraft’s publishing.
‘A Vindication on the Rights of Women’, 1792.
First wave feminism.
Focused on right to vote and for political, civil and social equality to men.
First wave feminist publishing and writer.
Harriet Taylor, ‘Enfrancisement of Women’.
Second wave feminism.
Aimed at modernising mindset and attitude.
Second wave feminist publishing and writer.
Betty Friedan, ‘The Feminine Mystique’.
Simone de Beauvoir’s book and main argument.
‘The Second Sex’; women allow for men to define and control their existence as eternal feminine and must liberate themselves from this to be real individuals.
‘Mauvais foi’, false-consciousness.
A false objective one has of themself, limiting themself of true freedom and individuality.
Existential view of gender.
That men and women are born without gender roles or gendered traits and that these are taught to us by society.
Essential view of gender.
That men and women are born with specific, separate, defining gender traits which suit them to gender roles.
‘The Eternal Feminine’.
The false view that there is essential female traits and roles.
Marx on human interactions.
About power and ability to dominate and control another person/peoples.
Foucault’s analysis of sexual history.
Sexuality cannot be defined in binary terms.
‘Ars erotica’.
Foucault’s term for sex as purposeful for pleasure, companionship and education.
‘Scientia sexualis’.
Foucault’s term for controlling sexual practises.
Foucault on sexuality.
“Sexuality must not be thought of as a kind of natural given.”
Simone de Beauvoir on gender.
“One is not born, but rather becomes a woman.”
Genesis on gender roles.
God commands women be mothers, ruled over by their husbands while men work and provide.
Jeremiah’s covenant.
Based on the heart and relationships to which external characteristics do not matter.
Story of Mary and Martha.
Mary is allowed to listen and learn, while Martha is critisced for focusing only on her domestic duties.
St Paul to the Galatians.
“There is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
Concept of ‘household rules’ in the Bible.
A common ancient Roman and Greek practise adopted by Early Christians to provide codes of behaviour for maintaining social order.
Biblical example of household rules and what it says to women.
St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians; ‘wives be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord’.
Controversy over St Paul’s claim that the husband is the head of the wife.
- Traditionally interpreted to mean the wife is subsvient to the husband.
- ‘Head’ can also mean ‘source of life’ which may refer to when Eve was made from Adams rib.
St Paul’s letter to the Ephisians on mutual obedience.
“Be subject to one another.”
St Paul in his letter to Timothy.
“Let a woman learn in silence with full submission.”
The ‘Right’.
A branch of conservative Protestiantism.
The ‘Right’ on feminism.
Destabalised households, causes family breakdowns and makes unrealisitic expectations for women.
Equal but different.
Idea that God created men and women equal in worth but with different traits and strengths to suit their roles.
The ‘Right’ on womens role.
To create a domestic haven and bring life into the world to nurture it.
Eroticisation.
Treatment of people as sexual objects for pleasure.
The ‘Right’ on cohabitation and homosexuality.
- Causes eroticisation.
- Relations become too private and egocentric.
- People dont have to put work into relationships.
Liberal Protestants on Foucault and eroticisation.
Reduces love to eros, when it should include agape and philos as well.
Liberal Protestants on womens role.
All people should do that which is healthy for them, which is not always parenthood.
The Kingdom of God.
An inclusive, non-hierachical, non-judegmental society.
Liberal Protestants on Jesus’ ministry.
Advocated the Kingdom of God, as well as an advocate for the marginalised of society including women and sexual outsiders.
Sociologist Jessie Bernard’s work.
Children can feel equally loved, secure and provided for in any family dynamic (not just a nuclear one).
Roman Catholic Church on feminism.
- Praises the effort to raise dignity and position of women in society.
- Suspicious of secular agenda diminishing gender differences with their spiritual contribution to society.
‘Mulieris Dignitatem’ (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women).
Apostolic letter from Pope John Paul 2nd.
Theotokos.
Greek word meaning ‘God-bearer’ referring to Mary’s role as Mother of Christ.
Mulieris Dignitatem points.
- Apologetic of Church’s historic misunderstanding of women and their relationships to men.
- Claims belief in the equality of men and women as both made in the likeness of God.
- Uses Biblical tradition and natural law to illustrate the special role of women as mothers and nurturers.
- Advocates women follow Mary’s example, with virtues of obedience and dignity.
Catechism on cohabitation.
“Scarcely ensure mutual sincereity and fidelity.”
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza on Catholicism and feminism.
Christians have written women out of their history, including a number of women leaders such as Priscilla, Apphia and Pheobe.
Catharina Halkes on Catholicism and feminism.
Jesus’ teachings of the Kingdom of God require social and spiritual transformation, meaning women must develop their spiritual gift of care into the public sphere and men must give up their sense of entitlement.
Ivone Gebara and Maria Clara Bingemer on the figure of Mary in Latin America.
Mary is seen as a working single mother, an inspiration for those who have ‘failed’ but continue to remain open to God and maintain strength to sustain her family.
