Feminism Flashcards
(26 cards)
Who are the 5 KT?
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935)
⤷ liberal
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-86)
⤷ difference
Kate Millett (1934-2017)
⤷ radical
Sheila Rowbotham (1943-)
⤷ socialist
bell hooks (1952-2021)
⤷ postmodern
What are liberal views on human nature? (Gilman)
- Men and women are equal
⤷ supported paternal rights
⤷ divorced her husband and he cared for their daughter while she travelled - Views Darwinism as male centred
⤷ survival of the fittest is sexist
What are difference views on HN? (De Beauvoir)
- “one is not born a woman, but one becomes a woman”
- transcendence - women can choose their freedom
What are radical views on HN? (Millett)
- advocated for the rights for all women
⤷ protested in Iran with 20,000 people
What are socialist views on HN? (Rowbotham)
- disagrees with traditional marxism
⤷ women’s role is more elaborate
⤷ focused on traditional family types and gender roles - left wing men can be equally as sexist as right wing men
What are postmodern views on HN? (hooks)
-
What are the themes for a HN question?
Agree - women are equally capable
Agree - role of women can be changed
Disagree - biology v socialisation
Disagree -
What are liberal views on society? (Gilman)
Gender roles
- Gender roles are not necessary in post-prehistoric society
⤷ no need for survival of the fittest
⤷ ‘The Home: Its Work and Influence’ - critique of gender roles
⤷ advocacy for social and economic reform
- ‘Women and Economics’ - women desire to entire the public sphere but are trapped
Marriage
- Women are trapped by marriage
⤷ ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ fictional book on a women who descends into madness as she is trapped in a room for her health
⤷ was a metaphor for her 1st husband
Social reform
- voting rights as she wrote suffrage songs
- helped develop sociology
What are difference views on society? (Beauvoir)
- “the fundamental source of women’s oppression is its historical and social construction as the quintessential”
⤷ the idea of femininity is created to make women subservient - Women are the second sex
⤷ book ‘Second sex’ says women are ‘others’
⤷ not prioritised
What are radical views on society? (Millett)
Social reform
- ‘The Prostitution Papers’
⤷ degradation and power are sold through prostitution
⤷ supports the decriminalisation of sex work
⤷ ran by women
- ‘Going to Iran’
⤷ her time at protests and being arrested in Iran
Institutions
- ‘Sexual Politics’
⤷ 80,000 sold first year
⤷ social constructs allow men to dominate women
- One of the first women to define the patriarchy
What are socialist views on society? (Rowbotham)
Communism will not free women
(‘Women, Resistance, and Revolution’)
- examples of French and Chinese revolutions which didn’t bring equality to women (Mao and Napoleon)
⤷ women return to their instrumental roles
- also cricised Russia for expecting women to work full time with motherly and house duties
⤷ but did praise Lenin for his work on legislation on abortion, divorce, and contraception
Conclusion - sexism is equally entrenched in men as women
Focus on the prejudice the working class face throughout history
Marriage
- marriage resembles feudalism
⤷ loyalty to a master
⤷ evident as women have no economic freedom
Social reform
- change socialisation
- change institutions and nature of work
- change views on sexuality
What are postmodern views on society? (hooks)
- Focus on black women
⤷ ‘ Ain’t I A woman’ - white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy are all faced by black women
⤷ looks at slavery
⤷ context: grew up during segregation in Kentucky - Critical of 2nd wave feminism
⤷ ‘Feminist Theory: From Margin to Centre’
⤷ fails to recognise working class and POC women - Men must work to recognise the patriarchy they impose
What is a society question plan?
Agree - institutions oppress women
Agree - the personal is political
Disagree - other social factors (racism etc)
Disagree -
What are liberal views on the state? (Gilman)
- Recognises that the state oppresses women
⤷ fought for suffrage
What are difference views on the state? (Beauvoir)
- The state is patriarchal
⤷ advocated to reform abortion laws
Methods
- women must liberate themselves`
What are radical views on the state? (Millett)
Protest
- march for Iranian women
Institutions
- marriage are designed to exploit women
What are socialist views on the state? (Rowbotham)
Protest
- National Liberation Conference 1970
⤷ championed for EPA, education, free contraception
- called for the British left to unite
What are postmodern views on the state? (hooks)
Education
- should increase communication and literacy to create recognition of gender inequality
- ‘Teaching to transgress’ - new approach to teaching minorities that would be able to be understood across classes
Protest
- speech at Southwestern Uni 2002
⤷ spoke against the gov-sanctioned violence after 9/11
What is a state question plan?
Agree - the state oppresses women in some form
Agree -
Disagree - methods for change
What are liberal views on the economy? (Gilman)
‘Women and Economics’
- 3 reasons why the private and public sphere being separate is unfair
⤷ economic gap
⤷ creates dependence on men/husband
⤷ women’s profit comes from ‘sex attraction’
⤷ marriage is the only way to get money, which is decided upon by attraction
⤷ expressive role
⤷ women are kept in their submissive role
What are difference views on the economy? (Beauvoir)
- Socialist revolution is not enough to bring liberation for women
- Inspired Friedan’s ‘The Feminine Mystique’ which links to her ‘The Second Sex’
What are radical views on the economy? (Millett)
- Women are kept subservient through their inability to work equal to men
⤷ NOW committee which helped pressure JFK into the EPA
What are socialist views on the economy? (Rowbotham)
- Oppression is because of economic and cultural forces
- Communism cannot free women on its own
⤷ ‘Women, Resistance, and Revolution’ - Capitalism oppresses men and women
What are postmodern views on the economy? (hooks)
- Capitalism keeps people oppressed
⤷ ‘Ain’t I A Woman’ - oppression from racism, capitalism, and patriarchy combined - Based lots of her work on how to penetrate oppression and class systems
