Core ideas and principles

Question 1

What do feminists think of sex and gender?

Answer 1

• Sex, for feminists, refers to the biological differences between men and women. They are seen as inevitable, natural and unalterable.
• Gender refers to cultural differences between the sexes, leading to feelings of superiority of men and inferiority of women and the assignment of inferior roles in society to women.

Question 2

What is intersectionality?

Answer 2

• This contemporary, post modern idea among feminists suggests that women have multiple identities as well as their female sex and gender.
• Thus the problems women face are intersectional, involving a combination of their female identity and other identities such as ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class and religion

Question 3

What is patriarchy?

Answer 3

• This term is used mainly by feminists to describe a society which is dominated by men and where women are seen and treated as inferior.
• Liberal feminism believes in patriarchy to a certain extent. Radical feminists believe complete radical changes in cultural attitudes need to be destroyed to combat patriarchy.

Question 4

What is equality and difference feminism?

Answer 4

• Equality feminists have limited aspirations. They seek equality for women in all spheres. Most of these feminists describe themselves as liberals.
• Difference feminists believe men and women have fundamental differences and these should be recognised in society. Most difference feminists go further by believing in cultural feminism. This is challenging the dominance of male culture in society by promoting ‘women’s values’.

Question 5

What is ‘the personal is political’?

Answer 5

• Liberal feminists, in common with liberals in general, advocate the separation of the private sphere from the public sphere. The private sphere refers to these aspects of life which are the concern of the individual and her close friends and family only.
• For liberals, the private sphere should not be the concern of the state or the rest of society unless harm is being done to the individual within the private sphere, for example domestic violence.

Question 6

What is otherness?

Answer 6

• Otherness is an idea mainly associated with liberal feminism.
• It’s the idea that places certain groups in society as somehow ‘other’ or outside society. They are also considered to be inferior.

Question 7

What is difference feminism?

Answer 7

• Difference feminism is when men and women have fundamental differences and these should be recognised in society
• Most difference feminists do not accept that one gender is superior to another, arguing simply that they are different and that those differences should be embraced but not fought against.

Question 8

What is cultural feminism?

Answer 8

• Cultural feminism is a variety of feminism which emphasizes essential differences between men and women, based on biological differences in reproductive capacity.
• Cultural feminism attributes to those differences distinctive and superior virtues in women