P2 Families and Households - Feminism and the Family Flashcards
What do radical feminists believe?
That society is based on gender conflict.
What do liberal feminists believe?
Society is improving gender conflict
What do marxist feminists believe?
Society is based on conflict
What do marxists feminists believe about the function of the family?
Their ideas are based upon class conflict and the role that women play in society, not about male dominated societies.
What does Young and Wilmott (marxist) believe is the function of the family?
- Women reproduce the workforce for free and women have a triple shift ( the symmetrical family is a myth according to Young and Wilmott
What does Greer (radical) argue about the function of family?
Greer argues that society is patriarchal and that family is a chance for men to exert dominance and power over women (this can sometimes be reinforced by domestic violence)
What do radical feminists believe about the function of families?
They argue that heterosexual relationships are sleeping with the enemy and the only way to stop patriarchal society is to live independently.
The nuclear family supports the patriarchal society. Men are the head of the household + the family benefits men through: free domestic labour, emotional work and sex.
What does Kate Millet (radical) argue?
She argues that family is the chief institution of patriarchy. Paid work is not liberating women, instead it’s adding another “dual burden” of paid work and unpaid housework.
What do liberal feminists argue about the function of family?
To most liberal feminists, gender roles within the family play a key part in shaping differences and inequalities between men and women.
What does Rosemarie Tong (liberal) argue?
She argues that liberal feminists wish to free women from oppressive gender roles.
What does Somerville (liberal) argue?
She argues that many women do not feel sympathetic to feminism, yet atill feel some sense of grievance.
To Somerville many feminists have failed to acknowledge the progress that has been made for women:
- Women now have greater freedom to take paid work even if they are married and have young children
- They also have more choice about when or whether they marry, become single mothers, enter lesbian relationships or live on their own.
What do difference feminists believe about the functions of the family?
They argue that we cannot generalise about women experience as women can come from different ethnic minorities or different classes and can have different sexuality
What are criticism of feminists approach?
- Womens roles are not always the same in all families (house husbands, extended families etc)
- Women do have choices ( some women enjoy becoming housewives or pursuing a career. 999
