The Different Types of Feminism

Question 1

What are the general beliefs of liberal feminism?

Answer 1

• against abolishing the public private divide
• favoured abortion, contraception, divorce rights

Question 2

What were the critiques of liberal feminism by radicals?

Answer 2

• Liberals had failed; men still in positions of power. Women made little progress on issues such as harassment, employment, culture, media image, sexuality.
• Public/private divide is an artificial one. Domestic work/violence are political issues, it is patriarchy that decides who performs them, not individuals
• Individualism of Liberals distracts from the gender divide/patriarchy as women are subjugated as a sex/gender, not as individuals.
• The Liberal stress on ‘personhood’, limits the possibility of ‘sisterhood’ and solidarity amongst women.
• Downgrades importance of gender, allows ‘male’ attributes/aspirations to be imposed on women. Equality means a male-based equality.

Question 3

What were the critiques of liberal feminism from socialism?

Answer 3

• Only benefits educated, middle class women working class women are unable to compete equally with men in the public sphere
• State/Capitalism support the social/economic domination of men. True equality through ending of capitalism/patriarchy.
• Fourier believed that women were oppressed by means of marriage and the family.
• Cooperatives/communes mean children are cared for by community, women perform labour activities and oppressive institution of monogamous marriage would be ended.

Question 4

What are the critiques of Socialist feminists?

Answer 4

• Believe the wider labour movement is more important than the women’s movement.
• Radicals believe that women are oppressed in a wide number of areas, not just as workers. Women are, for instance, oppressed as child-bearers, as those socialising children, as sex objects etc
• Female liberation is needed in all areas, not just in the workplace. Liberation needs to begin immediately, not until after a future revolution, that may not even occur

Question 5

What are the criticisms of Difference feminists?

Answer 5

• They believe Heterosexual sex is always rape, the only way for women to escape this is through celibacy and political lesbianism
• Only ever appealed to a small minority of Feminists. Criticised their views as the mirror image of misogyny and chauvinism. Rejects equality/causes further divisions. Pessimistic about a better/peaceful future. Most have no desire to live without men, or be lesbians and the practicalities of said society have never been clearly explained.
• Post-modernists say the depictions of the sex’s (essentialism) were crude and stereotypical, failed to recognise the vast range of gender identities existing amongst men and women

Question 6

What are the criticisms of Post-modernist feminists?

Answer 6

• Implies that women’s subordination has no single cause or single solution - offers no clear path to action. Much of the writing deconstructs/criticises existing bodies of thought, offers no positive alternatives to improving the world
• ‘anything goes’ approach to feminism. If woman justify their ideas to improve society this is seen as valid, and should be accepted. Second-wave feminism said traditional femininity – passivity, subjugation, are anti-feminist. Post-modernists advocate a more individualistic or sub-group approach which allows a wider range of choices. Critics argue choice could be accepting patriarchy – negating the whole point of Feminism.