feminism Flashcards
(10 cards)
What did Charlotte Perkins Gilman argue about gender roles?
Gender roles are socially constructed to keep women economically dependent on men. She supported women’s economic independence and communal childcare.
Gilman’s perspective aligns with liberal feminism.
What was Gilman’s view on motherhood and domestic labour?
Domestic servitude limits women’s potential; child-rearing and housework should be shared or collectivised to allow equal public participation.
This view is also rooted in liberal feminism.
What did Sheila Rowbotham argue about capitalism and patriarchy?
Capitalism and patriarchy are intertwined; women are oppressed both as workers and in the home. Liberation needs radical socialist change.
Rowbotham’s argument is central to socialist feminism.
How did Rowbotham critique liberal feminism?
It only tackles surface-level inequality, ignoring the deep structural roots of oppression in capitalism and material conditions.
This critique highlights the limitations of liberal feminist approaches.
What was Simone de Beauvoir’s key idea in The Second Sex?
“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” — femininity is a social construct imposed by male-dominated culture.
De Beauvoir’s ideas are foundational to radical feminism and existential feminism.
How did de Beauvoir view education and culture?
They condition women to accept inferiority and ‘otherness’, reinforcing patriarchal dominance from an early age.
This view underscores the role of socialization in perpetuating gender norms.
What did Kate Millett argue in Sexual Politics?
Patriarchy is a system of power perpetuated through culture, literature, and family — it’s political, not natural.
Millett’s work is a significant contribution to radical feminism, focusing on cultural aspects.
What was Millett’s view of the family?
The family is “patriarchy’s chief institution” — it teaches and normalises male dominance from birth.
This perspective highlights the family’s role in socializing gender roles.
What is bell hooks’ main criticism of mainstream feminism?
It often reflects white, middle-class concerns and ignores the impact of race and class. Feminism must be intersectional.
Hooks’ critique emphasizes the need for inclusivity in feminist movements.
What does hooks say about feminist solidarity?
True feminist struggle must be inclusive and collective, involving women of all races and classes to fight overlapping oppressions.
This call for intersectionality is central to contemporary feminist discourse.
