Marxist Feminist and Radical Feminist Perspectives on family

Question 1

Unlike Marxists, Feminists focus more on the emasculation of the women than the working class

what do Marxist Feminists and Radical Feminists believe

Answer 1

Marxist Feminists – Believe that the emasculation of women comes originally from capitalism

Radical Feminists – Believe that it is patriarchy itself that emasculates women

Question 2

The Myth of the “Symmetrical Family” – Feminists disagree that there is growing equality between partners. They argue that there is still inequality because it is mainly women who:

Answer 2

• perform housework
• Make sacrifices to provide for children
• make less decisions
• be dependant on mens earnings
• give up paid work to look after children, sacrificing work opportunities
• are more likely to be the victims of domestic violence by men

Question 3

Criticisms of the Marxist Feminist and Radical Feminists Perspectives

Answer 3

Women’s roles aren’t the same in all families, some are becoming more symmetrical.
Some women choose to fulfill what feminists see as an emasculating role in the family; feminists don’t account for this
Around 70% of divorces are filed by women, this shows that actually women have more power to escape a relationship than Feminists say