tensions within Flashcards
human nature - agreements
Feminists agree that biological differences between men and women (sex, not gender) should not be a reason for male dominance (patriarchy) in society
Liberal and radical feminists agree that gender is the main social division in society
human nature - disagreements
Feminists disagree about the importance of gender as social division. For liberal and radical feminists it is the main division of society. For socialist feminists social class is the key division causing gender inequalities. For postmodern feminists, female identities are fluid, not fixed, and gender combines with other factors to create different experiences of oppression (intersectionality)
Liberal and some radical feminists disagree whether biological differences between men and women are significant or not (sex and gender), and whether to celebrate femininity or aim for gender equality
state - agreements
Feminists agree that the state is patriarchal, dominated by and organised for men, and that should not be the case.
Radical and socialist feminists agree that the state requires a comlete reorganisation, a revolution (although disagreeing about a socialist or feminist revolution).
state - disagreements
Radical and liberal feminists disagree whether the state should address inequalities in the public sphere only, or also the private sphere (‘the personal is political’)
Radical and liberal feminists disagree whether the state has made any genuine progress in reducing gender inequality.
Postmodernist feminists disagree with radical and liberal feminists whether the state should mainly focus on addressing gender inequalities, or other social divisions too (>intersectionality).
society - agreements
Feminists agree that the society is patriarchal,
dominated by and organised for men, and it shouldn’t be
Most feminists (apart from some radical feminists who are difference feminists) agree that the aim should be a society with gender equality
state - disagreements
Radical and liberal feminists disagree whether only inequalities in the public sphere in society should be addressed, or also in the private sphere
Feminists disagree about the importance of gender as division in society. For liberal and radical feminists it is the main division of society. For socialist feminists social
class is the key division causing gender inequalities. For postmodern feminists, a range of divisions in society combine with other gender to create different experiences
of oppression (intersectionality)
economy agreements
Feminists agree that the economy is patriarchal, dominated by and organised for men, and it shouldn’t be
Feminists agree that biological differences between men and women (sex, not gender) shold not be a reason for male economic dominance (patriarchy).
economy - disagreements
- Radical and liberal feminists disagree on whether economic equality in the public sphere will automatically create equality in the private sphere, or whether that requires a complete restructuring of the economy
- Liberal feminists disagree with some radical feminists whether men and women should have an equal role in the economy, or whether women have characteristics that make them superior economic leaders
- Liberal feminists argue that women need
equal access and opportunity to the
economy whereas radical feminists
disagree, arguing that the economy is the
embodiment of the patriarchal system
3.1. Liberal feminists reject fundamental change to the economy in a future society, arguing for legal and political (rather than economic) equality whereas radical feminists insist upon it. - Socialist feminists argue that patriarchy is
promoted by capitalism (Rowbotham)
whereas radical feminists (Millet) argue
that patriarchy is an independent system
of oppression
4.1. Socialist feminists (Rowbotham) support the abolition of capitalism in a future society as an essential element of women’s liberation
whereas radical feminists argue that the
abolition of capitalism will not remove
patriarchy. - Post-modern feminists disagree with
both socialist and radical feminists
arguing that additional factors like colour,
class and religion also affects women’s
position in the economy (hooks)
patriarchy
- Liberal and radical feminists disagree about
whether the patriarchy is a systemic structure
of society that requires a complete overhaul of society, or whether it can be changed
gradually. - Socialist feminists argue the patriarchy is a component of capitalism
- Postmodern feminism argues the patriarchy is experienced differently by different women
- All feminists agree that society is patriarchal - it is dominated by men, and that should not be the case.
- Liberal feminism tends to focus on gender inequalities emanating from the legal sphere, while radicals see patriarchy as the root cause of oppression. Liberalism feminism sees
discrimination in the public sphere rather than a patriarchy of systemic, institutionalised and pervasive gender oppression which radical feminism views as permeating every aspect of life. We can conclude that there is strong disagreement over the nature and origin of oppression in society. - Differences over the role of patriarchy in society lead to very different conclusions over the action that is needed. Liberal feminists argue for gradual reforms to secure legal and
political equality and by changing attitudes over time while radical (Millett), socialist (Rowbotham) and postmodern feminists (bell
hooks) argue for a revolution to overthrow patriarchy. We can conclude that disagreements within feminism about the role of patriarchy lead to division over the need for revolution or reform.
There are disagreements within second and third wave feminism over the role of patriarchy in society. Socialist feminists argue that capitalism is the primary source of
female oppression (Rowbotham) whilst radical feminists see patriarchy as the primary source of oppression (Millet) and postmodern feminism sees interlocking systems of imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy (bell hooks) leading to
differing revolutionary strategies.
sex and gender
All feminists agree that there are biological differences and socially constructed differences between men and women.
All feminists agree that biological differences should not be a reason for male dominance
Equality and difference feminists disagree about whether the biological differences between men and women are significant.
Liberal and radical feminists see gender as main distinction in society, socialist and postmodern feminists see other distinctions as
important too
TPisP
Liberal feminists argue equality in the private
sphere will follow automatically when there is
equality in the public sphere, while radical
feminists argue the state should address
inequalities in the private shere as well as public sphere directly
Socialist feminists argue capitalism has created
inequality in the private sphere
Postmodern feminists argue inequality within
the priavte and public sphere is experienced
differently by different women
feminists agree there should be equaliuty in both the public and the private spher
All feminists agree the state should address
inequalities in the public sphere directly
equality or difference
Liberal feminists (and most other feminists too) aim for equality in rights and opportunities between men and women and are therefore equality feminists.
Difference feminists (mostly radical feminists) do not aim for equality, but embrace the characteristics of women, which may be superior to men in some aspects. This may lead to female separatism.
Equality and difference feminists disagree on
whether biological differences between men and women are significant
All feminists agree there is a difference in the power and opportunities between men and women in society - patriarchy - and that should end
intersectionality
All feminists agree that all women face disadvantages (patriarchy)
Postmodern and socialist feminists agree gender is not the only important social division that creates inequalities
Postmodern and socialist feminists disagree with liberal and radical feminists over whether gender is the main social division in society causing inequalities.
Postmodern and liberal feminists argue that the disadvantages women face are changing and variable, depending on circumstances, while socialist and radical feminists argue the oppression of women is linked to an essentially unchanged structure of society (patriarchy, capitalism).
