Core Ideas of Feminism

Question 1

Human Nature

Sex

Answer 1

• The biological differences between men and women (childbirth and raising children), referring to lower levels of physical strength.
• The majority see sex differences as irrelevant to women’s status and treatment and others believe in essentialism (biological make up equals gender roles and women’s inferiority).

Question 2

Human Nature

Gender

Answer 2

• Cultural and economic differences = prev a dom attitude in the pre-fem, patriarchal society that S/G were linked because women were tied to the home because of motherhoods’ demands.
• Natural to assume women would be homemakers and men were breadwinners as women cannot take on demanding jobs, having to care for the children which makes them ‘unsuitable for business’.
• Deemed inferior as men earn more (publicsphere) = cannot use their judgement so only required a basic education - wouldn’t learn highly developed skills or specialised knowledge, reinforcing the belief that men were superior (little provided by the state).
• Wished to break women’s consciousness of accepting gender roles more, but also to break men’s too (not 1st).

Question 3

Human Nature

Personal v political

Answer 3

• LIB advocate for the separation of the private from public sphere. In the private sphere, how women interact and present isn’t a concern of others, unless they harm others. In the public sphere, our actions affect others (sexist attitudes demeaning women) - leads to discrimination, low work expectations, low wages, no opportunity, low conviction rates for rape and sexual assault.
• RADICALS = see everything is political, as a reflection of men’s power over women and the nature of a patriarchal society). Women in the home isn’t a private matter because it’s an aspect of wider patriarchy, especially as women’s consciousness is distorted by patriarchal society. Even private matters like sexuality have become political - gains equality by tackling these cultural norms.