Theories Of Families - Feminist Flashcards
Who are feminists.
Feminists are a group of people who also take a critical view of the family and they don’t regard gender inequality as natural or inevitable like Parson argues but they say it’s something created by society
Who are liberal feminists?
Lib feminist are concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination + equal rights for women + opportunities for women
Who is Somerville and what does she argue.
Somerville is a liberal feminist and argues that women’s positions have improved a lot.
They have better access to divorce and jobs (stat:approx 3/4 of women are in work) also have control over fertility (stat : the 1967 abortion act and more contraceptives available).
Somerville also argues that women’s oppression is being gradually overcome through changes of peoples mindset and laws like the sex discrimination act 1975.
What are some evaluations for Somerville (liberal feminist point)
1) Functionalist Parson would criticise liberal feminists and say that both genders have biological roles suited towards them which leads to different tasks in the home. E.g. women are biologically able to bear children and men are biologically able to do more physical labour. This shows that naturally there are natural differences between women/men.
2) Other feminists criticise liberal feminists for failing to challenge the underlying causes of women’s oppression and for believing that changes in law or attitudes will be enough to bring equality.
ONS shows that there has been a rise of 24% from 1971 with the amount of women in work and now 3 in 4 women work but women still face glass ceiling and a pay gap so this shows that in wider society gender inequality still exists regardless of legislations and changes.
Who are Marxist feminists.
Marxist feminists are more critical and believe that women are “doubly oppressed” by the patriarchy and capitalism.
Who is Benston and what did she find?
Benston is a Marxist feminist and found that women were oppressed by capitalism in 3 ways :
1) women undertake large amounts of unpaid labour in the house ( housework cooking cleaning ) that men benefit from.
2) in her role as the housewife , the women attends to the husbands needs (sexual needs) keeping him running.
3) women produce and socialise future worker at no extra.
Who are Duncombe and Marsden and what did they argue ?
They are Marxist feminists.
They support and develop Benston’s ideas.
Duncombe and Marsden argue that women now take on a “triple shift” leading to more inequality since women are now responsible for paid employment since 3in4 women work now , unpaid housework , and childcare and providing emotional support to the family adding more strain to the women only.
Who is Ansley and what does she argue ?
Ansley is a Marxist feminist and argues that emotional support that’s provided by the wife is a”safety valve” for the frustration produced in husbands as workers and all this anger and frustration is absorbed by the wife.
Ansley describes women as the “takers of shit” so that the system is not threatened since women are men’s outlet of anger and this can lead women to be depressed since they have to handle a lot emotionally and have no one for them to be there outlet to release their emotions.
