Radical Feminists

Question 1

What do they believe the family is?

Answer 1

A powerful agent in maintaining male power within society

Question 2

Who said that they are two distinguishing features of radical feminism?

Answer 2

Valerie Bryson

Question 3

What are the two distinguishing features of radical feminism?

Answer 3

1) it is a new theory
2) it has not evolved from another perspective and that is sees the oppression of women as being the most significant aspect of society which is patriarchal

Question 4

Which radical feminist believes that it is men who benefit the most from the exploration of women?

Answer 4

Delphy and Leonard

Question 5

What do they look at?

Answer 5

The role of housework in the exploitation of women and argue that women are not working for themselves but for the head of the household

Question 6

What does “ideologically conditioned” mean?

Answer 6

Women are subservient and passive

Question 7

Why do they Believe that women exploited?

Answer 7

Because they have very little power within the family (this is because men make decisions)

Question 8

What responsibilities do women have in the family?

Answer 8

Childcare and duties towards the wider kinship networks as well as the housework on top of their responsibilities now as wage earners

Question 9

What role do they play in emotional well being?

Answer 9

A massive role in maintains the emotional well being of their husbands by caring for their husbands and stabilising their husbands personalities through sex

Question 10

What happens to the amount of domestic work when a man and a woman marry?

Answer 10

Women - increase

Men - decrease

Question 11

What can delphy and Leonard conclude about domestic work and who it benefits?

Answer 11

Family life benefits men at the expense of women - women cannot escape the exploitation of the patriarchal family due to economic and social constraints which prevent them from leaving their husbands

Question 12

Criticisms of delphy and leonard?

Answer 12

Their argument was based upon the assumption that all families have a head who is a man and who has all the power- fail to acknowledge diversity

Question 13

Another criticism of delphy and Leonard?

Answer 13

They tested theories on groups of families which are small but also atypical - French farming families which does not reflect how most families live

Question 14

Much like delphy and leonard, which other sociologist believe that women are exploited and oppressed within the family?

Answer 14

Purdy

Question 15

What did purdy believe?

Answer 15

Inequalities (women) stem from responsibilities of motherhood and childcare

Question 16

According to purdy, what are the disadvantages to motherhood?

Answer 16

• Having children is extremely expensive and is an onerous burden on women who are responsible for the child for at least 18 years
• children have a detrimental effect upon the career of women as they are seen as unreliable as they may have to take time of their child is unwell

Question 17

Why does purdy believe that society takes women for granted?

Answer 17

They perform a vital function of reproducing and bringing up children - if women stop having children and go on “babystrike”, demand for equality will be acted upon