Radical feminism and family

Question 1

What do radical feminists believe about the family?

Answer 1

Family: vehicle of oppression
- favors gender separatism
- Girls socialized to believe that oppression and inequality are normal
- accept inequality in family life: dream and work for it

Question 2

What does Greer talk about?

Answer 2

Roles women take within the household such as
- wives
- mothers
- daughters

Question 3

What about women as wives?

Answer 3

Strong ideology that being a wife is the most important role
- marriage reinforces patriarchal relations
- ‘ghastly figure of the bride’
> expresses traditional concepts of femininity
- Gendered private/public divide in marriage

Question 4

What is meant by the gendered public/private divide?

Answer 4

Public sphere: husbands spend more time outside of the home
- continuation of life before marriage (spending more money on himself)
- less housework
Private sphere: wives spend less time outside of homes
- job: to satisfy husband emotionally

Question 5

Does marriage make women happy?

Answer 5

Men do better outside of marriage than men
- Married men report higher levels of satisfaction than non married men
- single women report higher levels of satisfaction than married women
- 3/4 divorces initiated by women (decline in stable marriages - good)

Question 6

How is motherhood undervalued?

Answer 6

• Childbirth
• Not welcomed
• Return to work
• The Ideal
• Blame

Question 7

What is meant by childbirth?

Answer 7

Attention focuses on the wellbeing of the child
- mother’s health takes a backseat

Question 8

What is meant by Not Welcomed?

Answer 8

Mothers aren’t welcomed in society, both mothers and babies
eg: due to breastfeeding

Question 9

What is meant by Return to work?

Answer 9

Expected to return to work shortly after giving birth on top of childcare duties
- Sacrificing time with your children in which will be the most time you’ll ever spend with them

Question 10

What is meant by The Ideal?

Answer 10

Be slim and hipless, broad hips and the blossom of maternity are seen as monstrous
- Expected to ‘regain their figure’ shortly after childbirth
- eg: Husband Stitch

Question 11

What is meant by the Blame?

Answer 11

Mothers take the blame if children go bad
- Single mothers are singled out for special attention
- Experiences and challenges such as economic hardship and lack of support

Question 12

What about women as daughters?

Answer 12

Men expect to exercise control over women and expect them to service their needs
- daughters likely to experience sexual abuse from male relatives
- particular form of patriarchy and an extension of male heterosexuality
- Youth is a turn on for men