Society

Question 1

Introduction - Themes

Answer 1

Difference v Equality Feminist
Reforms v Revolution
Female Consciousness

Question 2

Introduction - Argument

Answer 2

Feminists agree that society is currently patriarchal, and something needs to be done to halt female oppression - however, there are fundamental disagreements about what they wish to create and how this can be done

Question 3

Agree - Equality v Difference Feminists - Point

Answer 3

Most Feminists agree that one gender is not superior to another, therefore the patriarchy of men oppressing women should be abolished

Question 4

Disagree - Equality v Difference Feminists - Point

Answer 4

Difference Feminists argue that the genders are different and that those differences should be embraced and not fought against - for them, the search for equality is fruitless

Equality Feminists, generally liberal, have limited aspirations - they seek equality for women in all spheres. For them, difference automatically leads to inequality, and it is inevitable that men will benefit

Question 5

Disagree - Equality v Difference Feminists - Example
(Difference)

Answer 5

This is in line with bell hook’s theory on ‘intersectionality’ that women have multiple identities thus the complexity of oppression needs to be reorganised

Question 6

Disagree - Equality v Difference Feminists - Example
(Equality)

Answer 6

In the Second Sex, Simone De Beauvoir expresses this idea succinctly: women ‘can do away with this inferiority only by destroying male superiority’

Question 7

Agree - Reform v Revolution - Point

Answer 7

All branches of feminists agree that the patriarchy is deeply rooted within our current society and in order to create their ideal society something must be done

Question 8

Disagree - Reform v Revolution - Point

Answer 8

Liberal Feminists see the solution in terms of reform - it can be made less patriarchal gradually

Radical Feminists have a more extreme approach to emancipating women - they advocate for revolution, although not necessarily through violent means

Question 9

Disagree - Reform v Revolution - Example
(Liberals)

Answer 9

They believe that to abolish the patriarchy women would have to achieve formal equality in all fields - they see this largely involving legislation. Supported acts such as the Equality Act 2010

Question 10

Disagree - Reform v Revolution - Example
(Radical)

Answer 10

There are varying ways of ‘revolution’ within radical feminism - Kate Millet and Charlotte Perkins Gilman asserts that there needed to be destruction of the traditional nuclear family

Question 11

Agree - Female Consciousness - Point

Answer 11

There is agreement between feminists that women do not realise that they are being oppressed by the patriarchal society

Question 12

Agree - Female Consciousness - Examples

Answer 12

Liberal Feminist, Betty Friedan, dubbed the patriarchy as ‘the problem with no name’ implying that women themselves did not recognise the nature of their oppression

Radical Feminist, Germaine Greer, argued in her book ‘The Female Eunuch’ that ‘until women themselves reject stigma … they have no hope of achieving full human structure’

Question 13

Disagree - Female Consciousness - Point

Answer 13

Liberal Feminists insist that all women should seek to compete with men for superior roles in society - they accept the freedom to choose whether they take up the domestic role

Radical Feminists argue there should be a full-scale cultural revolution

Question 14

Disagree - Female Consciousness - Example
(Radical)

Answer 14

Sheila Rowbotham pointed out that the greatest advancements for women have taken place after socialist revolutions