Compare and Contrast Terms Flashcards
(18 cards)
First-Wave vs. Second-Wave vs. Third-Wave Feminism
Similarities: All aim to challenge gender inequality.
Contrasts:
First-Wave: Focused on legal rights (e.g., voting).
Second-Wave: Broadened to workplace, sexuality, family roles.
Third-Wave: Emphasized intersectionality, individuality, and diversity (race, class, LGBTQ+).
Radical-Cultural Feminism vs. Social Constructionism
Similarities: Both critique patriarchal systems.
Contrasts:
Radical-Cultural Feminism: Views patriarchy as deeply rooted in culture; sometimes essentialist (e.g., women are inherently nurturing).
Social Constructionism: Sees gender as socially created rather than biologically inherent — rejects essentialism.
Gender Reform vs. Gender Resistance vs. Gender Rebellion Feminisms
Similarities: All are feminist perspectives challenging gender norms.
Contrasts:
Reform: Works within institutions for equal rights (liberal feminism).
Resistance: Opposes power structures, focusing on oppression and difference (radical feminism).
Rebellion: Rejects the category of gender itself; focuses on fluidity and queerness.
Ecofeminism vs. Intersectionality
Similarities: Both link multiple forms of oppression (e.g., gender + environment/race/class).
Contrasts:
Ecofeminism: Connects oppression of women and nature.
Intersectionality: Framework to analyze overlapping social identities (race, gender, class, etc.).
Performativity (Judith Butler) vs. Social Constructionism
Similarities: Both argue gender is not fixed; it’s made through social processes.
Contrasts:
Performativity: Gender is performed through repeated acts — it’s not something we are, but something we do.
Social Constructionism: Gender is constructed through institutions, language, and norms — less focused on the performance aspect.
Orientalism vs. Settler Colonialism
Similarities: Both are postcolonial theories critiquing Western power over marginalized groups.
Contrasts:
Orientalism (Edward Said): How the West portrays the East as inferior and exotic.
Settler Colonialism: Ongoing system of power where settlers occupy and erase Indigenous lands and people.
Patriarchy vs. Heteronormativity
Similarities: Both enforce rigid gender norms and uphold male dominance.
Contrasts:
Patriarchy: Power structure where men hold authority.
Heteronormativity: Assumes heterosexuality is “normal” and natural — marginalizes LGBTQ+ identities.
Institutional vs. Non-Institutional Politics
Similarities: Both are arenas for political action.
Contrasts:
Institutional: Formal systems (e.g., government, law).
Non-Institutional: Grassroots, activism, protests outside the system.
Glass Ceiling vs. Sticky Floor
Similarities: Both describe barriers in the workplace affecting women.
Contrasts:
Glass Ceiling: Invisible barriers to advancement to higher positions.
Sticky Floor: Barriers that keep women in low-paying, entry-level jobs.
Sex vs. Gender vs. Sex/Gender Systems
Sex: Biological differences (male/female).
Gender: Social roles/identity (masculine/feminine).
Sex/Gender Systems (Gayle Rubin): Framework that explains how sex is transformed into gender through culture and institutions.
✅ Use this triad to explain how biology is not destiny in feminist theory.
Gender Essentialism vs. Social Constructionism
Essentialism: Gender traits are innate, fixed (e.g., “women are naturally nurturing”).
Constructionism: Gender is shaped by culture, norms, and society — not biology.
Affirmative Action vs. Comparable Worth
Both try to reduce workplace inequality.
Affirmative Action: Targets hiring and admissions to promote diversity.
Comparable Worth: Calls for equal pay for jobs of equal value (even if different types of work).
De-Gendering vs. Gender Mainstreaming
De-Gendering: Removing gender distinctions altogether (e.g., gender-neutral bathrooms, policies).
Gender Mainstreaming: Actively integrating gender perspectives into all policy and planning.
🔁 De-gendering erases difference; gender mainstreaming addresses it systemically.
Global Care Chain vs. Feminization of Labour
Global Care Chain: Women (often from the Global South) migrate to care for children/elderly in wealthier countries — emotional labour flows globally.
Feminization of Labour: More women entering the paid workforce, often into low-wage, insecure jobs.
💡 Both expose how gendered labour is undervalued — especially across race and borders.
Unwaged Labour vs. Gendered Division of Labour
Unwaged labour (e.g., housework, caregiving) is often invisible yet essential to the economy.
Feminist economics critiques that GDP doesn’t count this.
Often tied to the gendered division of labour, where domestic tasks fall disproportionately on women.
Seneca Falls
Connect to First-Wave Feminism → landmark event demanding legal/political equality.
Intersectionality
Should be used alongside almost any feminist theory (especially Third-Wave, Resistance/Rebellion)
Performativity + Queer Theory
Great combo to challenge Gender Essentialism.
