Liberal or reformist feminism

Question 1

Liberals are concerned with?

Answer 1

• Human + civil rights and freedom
• Believe all humans should have equal rights, keeping with the enlightenment tradition
• Believe in reformism - progress through gradual reform

Question 2

Laws and policies

Answer 2

Lib fems believe that women could achieve gender equality this way, e.g. sex discrimination laws

Question 3

Cultural change

Answer 3

• Traditional prejudices are a barrier to equality
• e.g. belief that women are less rational and more dominated by emotion are used to justify their exclusion from decision making roles

Question 4

sex and gender

What is sex?

Answer 4

Biological differences between male and females

Question 5

sex and gender

What is gender?

Answer 5

Culturally constructed differences between the ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ roles and identities asigned to males and females

Question 6

sex and gender

How many gender differences vary?

Answer 6

What is considered a proper role for women in one society or at one time maybe different or forbidden in another

Question 7

sex and gender

Sexist attitudes are?

Answer 7

• Culturally constructed and transmitted through socialisation
• Liberals seek to promote appropriate role models in education and family to change socialisation

Question 8

sex and gender

How is lib feminism an optimistic theory?

Answer 8

Believe that:
* Changes in socialisation and culture are gradually leading to more rational attitudes
* Political action to introduce anti discriminatory policies is steadily bringing about progress

Question 9

sex and gender

Evaluation

Answer 9

• Criticised for over optimism, ignore the possibility thst there are deep seated structures casuing women’s oppression, such as capitalism
• Marx + rad fems argue that they’re naive to believe changes in the law will bring equality