TOPIC 1 - Feminist Perspective

Question 1

What does Feminism focus on?

Answer 1

Focuses on women’s oppression and the struggle to end it

Question 2

What are the 4 main types of Feminism?

Answer 2

Liberal Feminism
Marxist Feminism
Radical Feminism
Difference Feminism

Question 3

What are the 3 things that the 4 types of Feminism have in common?

Answer 3

• both agree that the FAMILY BENEFIT some members, particularly adult males MORE THAN OTHERS
• believe in the EXISTENCE of VIOLENCE, ABUSE and EXPLOITATION within the family
• they believe the FAMILY is PATRIARCHAL

Question 4

What are Liberal Feminist’s concerned with?

Answer 4

Campaigning against sex discrimination and for EQUAL RIGHTS and OPPORTUNITIES for women

Question 5

What do 3 things Liberal Feminists believe ?

Answer 5

• CHANGE can come through DIFFERENT SOCIALISATION patterns e.g. discourage gender stereotyping
• Believe GENDER EQUALITY is GRADUALLY being achieved
• TODAY WOMEN have MORE POWER in family decisions and domestic chores and shared more equally

Question 6

What did LF Somerville believe?

Answer 6

Believed that women are still disadvantaged in families

Question 7

What did LF Oakley say about gender inequality?

Answer 7

Gender inequality in the family is simply a product of discrimination by individuals and those who run institutions

Question 8

What are 3 Evaluation points of Liberal Feminism?

Answer 8

• they EXAGGERATE the MARCH OF PROGRESS in families ; Uk women still perform majority of childcare and domestic chores
• some Women may not benefit from legal changes due to other forms of discrimination , we can’t generalise
• it’s a WHITE M/C type of feminism

Question 9

What do Marxists feminists argue?

Answer 9

Argue that the main cause of women’s oppression in the family isn’t men but capitalism.

Women’s oppression perform several functions for capitalism

Question 10

MF - What are the 3 functions Women’s oppression perform for capitalism?

Answer 10

• Women REPRODUCE the LABOUR FORCE -
  through their unpaid domestic labour, socialising next generation
• Women ABSORB ANGER Ansley - “ takers of shit “
• WOMEN are a RESERVE ARMY of CHEAP LABOUR

Question 11

What are Evaluation points of MF?

Answer 11

• Shows Gender roles within the family may be created and perpetuated by the requirement of capitalist society, rather than being ‘ natural ‘
• Ignores the day-to-day experiences and interpretations of women who choose to live in such families because they enjoy and benefit from the experiences from being a mother

Question 12

What do Radical Feminists argue?

Answer 12

Argue that all societies have been founded on patriarchy

Question 13

What are the 2 main ideas of RF about the key division in society being between men and women?

Answer 13

• MEN ARE THE ENEMY - source of women’s oppression and exploitation
• THE FAMILY AND MARRIAGE ARE THE KEY INSTITUTIONS IN PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY - men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour and from their sexual service

Question 14

What do RF believe about the patriarchal system?

Answer 14

Should be Overturned, in particular, The Family which they see as the Root of Women’s Oppression should be Abolished

Only Way to Achieve this is Through Separation - women must organise themselves to live independently from men

Question 15

What is “ political lesbianism “ that RF argue and what did Greer argue about households?

Answer 15

Political Lesbianism - the idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive because they involve ‘ sleeping with the enemy ‘
Greer - argues for the creation of all female or ‘ matriarchal ‘ households as an alternative to the heterosexual family

Question 16

What are 3 Evaluation points of RF

Answer 16

• RF theories of the family have DATED significantly because they fail to recognise that women’s position has improved considerably - better access to divorce, opportunities
• RF OVEREMPHASISES the NUCLEAR family and neglecting the rich diversity of other family types in modern society
• RF sociologists also portray women as passively accepting their lot
  However, Somerville and Hakim both argue that they probably EXAGGERATE the EXPLOITATION of women in the family and that most women still value relationships with men

Question 17

What do Difference Feminists argue?

Answer 17

DF argue we can’t generalise about women’s experience
Argue that lesbian and heterosexual women, white and black women, m/c and w/c women have very different experiences of the family from one another

Question 18

What is an Evaluation point of DF?

Answer 18

DF NEGLECTS the fact that all women SHARE many of the SAME EXPERIENCES
For example, they all face a risk of domestic violence and sexual assault, low pay etc