Feminism Flashcards
(6 cards)
Feminism should concern itself with the public rather than the personal realm.’
Liberal/Existential Feminism – Liberal feminists advocate for the reform of society and laws to achieve equality. They do not concern themselves with the private sphere as they believe women should be free to make their own decisions about their lives behind closed doors. Specifically, they believe the patriarchy is a recent phenomenon and can be overcome through gradual reforms, propaganda and education. Early liberal feminist Wollstonecraft used reason to suggest that women are equally capable as men and advocated for reforms in the public sphere such as a new national school system in which boys and girls would be educated together. For example, the Women’s Social and Political Union in Britain was founded in Britain in 1903 and was run by the Pankhurst family who emerged as the leader of the suffragette movement. Suffragettes were the first organised women’s movement (they campaigned through the use of posters, demonstrations, heckling, chaining themselves to railings) and achieved their goal of granting women the vote with women in Britain being given the vote on equal terms with men in 1928. However, liberal feminism did not stop the campaign for reforms there. In 1963, Friedan published The Feminine Mystic which advocated for positive discrimination and further legislation such a law banning sex discrimination in the workplace, believing too many women were still held back due to inane factors. Like liberal feminists, de Beauvoir believed the patriarchy was an artificial construct writing “one is not born but becomes a women” and similarly emphasised the importance of the protection of free will and freedom. She argues for public sphere reform believing women need to join together and work actively for change. Within this, she believed society needed to accept that women were entitled to economic independence and needed to engage in intellectual pursuits. However, she did also emphasise the need to reject traditional patriarchal structures in women’s personal lives too where they are also subjected by men. Thus, she advocated for the legalisation of contraception and abortion.
Radical/Socialist Feminism – Both the public and private sphere must be addressed – “the personal is political”. Thought patriarchal institutions and cultural norms were too pervasive to be changed gradually and ultimately stemmed from the private sphere Millet’s Sexual Politics argued that oppression has pervaded life to such as extent that women had adopted an “inferior consciousness”. Children were socialised into the patriarchy through the family unit and thus to end this “false consciousness” advocated for the abolition of the nuclear family and the establishment of communal living. Heterosexual relationships were political because they caused an unequal balance of power between men and women, and socialised children into recognising masculine authority, and thus lesbianism was preferable for women. Further, there needs to be the equal division of labour within the house so women can have the same opportunities as men to build careers outside the home. The revolution to eliminate the patriarchy needed to happen as much in peoples minds and homes than institutions. Socialist feminists such as Rowbotham believe in revolution within the public and private spheres. She believes that the exploitation of women and capitalism are bound together in a system of oppression. Within capitalist economies, women were treated as a reserve army of labour, employed when males were in short supply, enabling employers to keep wages low. Further, the home was not a women’s domain, rather a prison in which they had to work unacknowledged and for free.
Post-modern feminism – Concerns itself with both the public and private sphere as it aims to challenge all forms of female oppression. Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality to suggest women face “multiple levels of social injustice” and thus sexism isn’t a “one-size fits all phenomenon”, encouraging women for all parts of society to campaign on issues that affect them. hooks too advocated for a more inclusive movement with the implication of this being the need for many feminist movements such as a racial feminist movement and a working-class feminist movement. One of her final hopes was to embed a “feminist masculinity” within modern society. This would involve feminists speaking directly to men and boys, helping them to forge identities free from sexism, stressing men have value because of who they are, not what they do.
- ‘Feminists are divided over how to achieve a fairer society.’ Analyse and evaluate this statement with reference to the feminist thinkers that you have studied. 2020
Liberals – Reform of the state through the legislature (formal equality) . Want equality of opportunity, women to have economic independence and a rejection of women’s subservient position. Early feminists such as Wollstonecraft argued that women have the same rational and intellectual abilities as men and thus believed they should have the same rights. She observed that instead of allowing women to develop to their potential, society contrived to keep women “in a state of lifeless inactivity”. By limiting women’s rights, England was limiting their intelligence. Therefore, she argued for a new national school system for children where boys and girls would be educated together. First-wave feminists such as the suffragettes led by Emmeline Pankhurst worked by spreading awareness and lobbying government through protests, pamphlets etc. to give women the vote. Simone de Beauvoir believed too that the patriarchy was an artificial and harmful construct that needed to be removed through legislation, thus she advocated for state-funded welfare, equal education, legal abortion and contraception, and economic freedom. She believed women needed to join together to work for change, and society needed to accept that women are entitled to economic independence and needed to engage in intellectual pursuits too.
Radical feminists – Only through revolution can equality be achieved, transforming society into a completely new form. Disagreed with reform as the patriarchy is so engrained into the fabric of society that it can only be eliminated if the existing structures of society are dismantled. At the point Millet was writing, women had had the vote for 50 years but were still underrepresented in political office and judged by separate standards. Millet believed in a sexual revolution, believing women must achieve equality in the private sphere to achieve liberation more widely. Revolution was necessary as only if the patriarchal power structure in society was overthrown could women be completely free. This revolution needed to happen in people’s minds, as well as homes and workplaces. This involves the abolition of the nuclear family and its replacement with communal living and childrearing, as well a preference for lesbian relationships and complete separation from men. Marriage models a pattern of unequal gender relations to the next generation. Earlier feminist Gillman perhaps inspired this more radical thought, as she too believed that the patriarchy should be removed through the destruction of traditional families. She believed women’s housework and childrearing was akin to domestic slavery and thus women should not be bound in marriage. Marriage “akin to prostitution” with women being reliant on their sexual assets to gratify their husbands who would in turn support them financially. Like Millet would later do, she advocated for gender neutral clothes and toys to combat the societal pressures of gender roles and stereotypes. Believed women’s role as taught not pre-determined. Rowbotham believed that women gaining equality required a socialist feminist revolution – “a revolution within a revolution”. Wanted to ensure that inequality within the home was destroyed as well as the inequality within the capitalist society. Believed that under capitalism there is little hope that women will ever be able to escape patriarchal society as they will remain a cheap source of labour and will be undervalued in the home – the home was not a women’s domain, but her prison.
Post-modern feminism – In order to achieve a fairer society, inequality in general must be overcome. This is not an easy feat as they believe we must consider the multiple forms of oppression that result from women having multiple identities. Hooks suggested that black women were oppressed as both black people and women experiencing at times racial discrimination, and at others sexual discrimination. Crenshaw later coined the term intersectionality to describe women’s “multiple levels of injustice” and argued a woman who is poor, a lesbian, has physical disabilities, and is from an ethnic minority will face discrimination on each and every one of those grounds. The implication of this is that there needs to be many feminist movements rather than just one. This means making feminism more inclusive than the predominantly white working-class movement it largely been and encouraging women from all parts of society to campaign on issues important to them. Also emphasised that men too must come to understand the patriarchy and the sexual culture they create contributes to female exploitation.
- With reference to the feminist thinkers that you have studied, analyse and evaluate the extent to which feminism is compatible with equality. 2019
Liberal – LEGAL EQUALITY - For example, Simone de Beauvior believed women were entitled to economic independence and should be free to engage in intellectual pursuits. She advocated education, legalisation of contraception and abortion, and propaganda to support women who were opposing gender stereotypes. Friedan was a founding member of the National Organisation Of Women which drew up a Bill Of Rights including a law to ban sex discrimination in employment, and an equal rights constitutional amendment. Wrote that “women were stopped at a state… short of their human capacity”. However NOT ALWAYS A BELIEF IN OPPORTUNITY OF OUTCOME- her belief in individualism and female agency meant she was not as concerned in ensuring equality of outcome. Further, 1st wave liberal feminists such as the suffragetes led by Pankhurst advocated for reform of the state to ensure women’s rights were equal to men. However, they have been criticised by 3rd wave feminists such as hooks for being a predominantly white, middle-class movement, thus due to their culture, they did not understand the unique needs and experiences of black women.
Radical – SOCIAL EQUALITY. Rowbotham - Economic equality and equality within the home – “Revolution within a revolution”. Millett - Equality of responsibility within the home and childcare (Influenced by Gilman’s views about women’s position in the home, as well as the socialisation of children and gender-neutral toys ect). Firestone even recommended androgyny using modern technology to ensure gender equality and prevent discrimination. HOWEVER, Some radical “difference feminists” believe that women are fundamentally different to men and that women have some qualities that are superior.
Post-modern – EQUALITY MORE WIDELY.
- ‘Feminism is defined by what it opposes.’ Analyse and evaluate this this statement with reference to the feminist thinkers that you have studied. Zigzag
Liberal Feminism – Opposes differential public treatment of men and focuses on achieving gender equality through political and legal reform within the framework of liberal democracy. Though Gillman was not a liberal feminism, her belief in liberating women through equality of opportunity and female employment inspired many later liberal thinkers. She was also a member of the National Women Suffrage Association. First wave feminism largely focused on revision and reform of legislation. The suffragettes defined by their quest to grant women the right to vote. They believed this would lead to women gaining political office and using this to pass measures to increase women’s rights. Further, in the 1960s, Freidan advocated for legal protection and education for women to ensure their liberty and freedom. De Beauvoir believed women were subjugated by men unnaturally through conditioning and emphasised the need for women to join together and work actively for change, challenging the patriarchy to gain free will. She believed women were entitled to economic independence and should be free to engage in intellectual pursuits. She advocated education, legalisation of contraception and abortion, and propaganda to support women who were opposing gender stereotypes
Radical feminism – Opposes social and economic inequality but is more so defined by its revolutionary aims. Specifically, radicals like Millett took a psychoanalytical approach to feminism, criticising the social and cultural norms of behaviour taught to children resulting in a false consciousness. She believed the nuclear family was a patriarchal social construct which gave men ownership over women and socialised children into recognising masculine authority. However, Millett became defined by not only her views, but also her radical approach to combatting this oppression. Believed only if the patriarchal power structure in society was overthrown could women be free. She emphasised the need for a sexual revolution within both the private and public spheres, advocating for communal living, female-cooperatives and a pursual of lesbian relationships. Socialist thinkers have been defined in their opposition to economic inequality. Rowbothan believes the patriarchy enables capitalism as women provide domestic labour in the home, allowing men to participate in the system. Also believes women are merely “reserve labour” in insecure, part-time and underpaid jobs. However, she is more defined by her revolutionary solution to achieving equality which involves the overthrow of capitalism. Overall radicals believe the patriarchy is so engrained in the fabric of society, existing structures must be dismantled and reshaped.
Post-modern feminism – Opposes patriarchy but is not defined by this, defined by the opposition of multiple forces of oppression. hooks believed that in order for feminism to achieve it’s aims, inequality in general must be overcome. The implication of this is that the feminist movement needed to challenge a range of factors including class, race, sexuality and ethnicity. Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” to suggest that “sexism isn’t a one size fits all phenomenon” and some women experience “multiple levels of social injustice”.
‘Feminism is not a single doctrine.’ Analyse
In its understanding of the patriarchy. All believe the patriarchy is a harmfully conditioned construct. Liberals – Freidan in the 1960s described the patriarchy as “The problem with no name”. The oppression of women socially conditioned. de Beauvoir similarly advocated that from birth women were raised to believe in the patriarchal norms that limited them. Believed in existentialism (that humans have no natural essence and that men have created a feminine myth with which they oppress women. Further, she believed that the state re-enforces a male dominated culture which limits women’s autonomy and freedom. SL – Led to second wave feminism to combat sexist attitudes and societal inequalities. Radicals – Millet saw 6 overlapping sources of patriarchy – the state, household, violence, paid work, sexuality and culture. Suggested men had an innate hatred for women seen in the normalisation of sexual violence against women, and believed that marriage and male chauvinism at the root of female oppression. Greer agreed, suggesting men hated women and oppressed them through stigmatising their sexual desires. Similarly to liberals, believed misogyny is conditioned. Advocated for gender neutral toys and clothing to eliminate ideas of gender differences in children. Rowbothom believed that the patriarchy is rooted in capitalism and that women’s work was being “exploited within the home”. Gilman perhaps inspired this as she believed men dominate women due to the economy – “the labour of women in the house enables men to produce more wealth than they otherwise could. Post-modern – Hooks similarly agreed in a false consciousness of women. Suggested the patriarchy has taught women to hate themselves and see themselves as inferior to men, seeing evidence for this through competition, jealousy and hatred.
Differing views on how to remove the patriarchy. Liberals – Legal reform and equality of opportunity will bring equality for women. First wave feminists such as the suffragettes led largely by Emmeline Pankhurst campaigned for the right to vote in the UK. de Beauvoir believed in women joining together to gain free will, emphasising economic independence for women. Radical feminists believe that a revolution is needed to overthrow the patriarchy as women’s inferiority too ingrained. Kate Millet believed in a sexual revolution consisting of women rejecting their inferior and submissive roles in both their public and private lives. Involved in this would be the abolishment of the nuclear family and the replacement of in with communal living and childrearing. Seems to draw upon Gilman’s ideas of communal living and her analysis of women’s role within the house and marriage as akin to domestic slavery. Rowbothom believed that because the capitalist state was a tool for patriarchal oppression, a socialist revolution was necessary for women’s freedom describing a “revolution within a revolution”. Also emphasised the role of men within this and the importance of their ability to relinquish their dominant position within society. Post – modern – hooks also emphasised the role of men coming to understand how the patriarchy and the sexual culture they create contribute to female exploitation. Implied in her critique of both the Black liberation movement as neglectful of the patriarchy, and the feminist movement as dominated by white women, that there is a need for many feminist movements.
Importance of the economy to feminism. Liberal feminists believe that economic inequality can be rectified through legislation such as The Equal Pay Act 1970. Friedan - The Feminine Mystique (1963) argued legislation was required to prevent sexual discrimination will benefit the economy by allowing women to contribute equally - women still face discrimination and economic equality has not been achieved. Though de Beauvoir focused mainly on the patriarchy as a culturally conditioned social construct, she also believed women are constantly oppressed because of a lack economic independence. Radical feminist Millett more focused on cultural rather than economic factors, though did emphasise the plight of working women. More important was Sheila Rowbotham who believed economic oppression of women was central to the patriarchy. This is because women seen as a “reserve army” working underpaid, part-time jobs. Gillman perhaps initially inspired this through her linking of sex and the capitalist economy, believing that women had to trade their sexual assets for financial support. Post-modern feminism – hooks believed that the needs of working-class women were overlooked, adding to their oppression. She also suggested that black women were oppressed as both black people and women, with the implication of this being economic. This is because black women not only earnt less than their white counterparts, but also black men. Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” to suggest that women are subject to many forms of oppression and that traditional feminism had only focused on middle class wrote women
Feminism is a radical and revolutionary ideology’ Analyse and evaluate this statement with reference to the feminist thinkers that you have studied
Liberal – Not revolutionary but radical. its followers advocate gradual changes to the public sphere, focusing their campaigns on suffrage, equal pay and cultural norms surrounding women, suggesting they are reformist not revolutionary. Their reformist attitude can be seen in the efforts of the English suffragettes led by Emmeline Pankhurst who campaigned for women to gain the vote which they achieved on equal terms in 1928. This can further be seen in the methods adopted by Simone de Beauvoir who advocated education, legalisation of contraception and abortion, and propaganda to support women who were opposing gender stereotypes. However, many of the suggestions proposed by liberal feminists have been seen as major adjustments to the status quo. de Beauvoir argued that womanhood is not decided from birth, believing existentially that humans have no natural essence and thus men have created a feminine mystic with which to oppress women. She herself was radical for the time in her rejection of religion and traditional lifestyles, being a bisexual and atheist. Further, Betty Friedan’s believed that the state could enable equality so was not a revolutionary but was radical in that her 1963 book ‘the Feminine Mystique’ kick-started second wave feminism. This is due to the dramatically new portrayal of housewives not being happy and content with the patriarchy and their roles. Wrote that “women were stopped at a state… short of their human capacity”, believing women were not able to realise their potential and it was illiberal attitudes that subjected women to oppression. This radical aspect to liberal feminism is further exemplified by the ideas of Catherine Perkins Gilman who wrote in the 1890s and so has been seen as inspiring the growth of liberal feminism in the first wave. Her concepts of marriage as akin to prostitution and envisioning communal living and kitchen co-operatives were key inspiration behind the emergence of radical feminism in the 1960s.
P – Radical/Socialist feminism both radical and revolutionary. Millet identified herself as radical, shocking many with her extreme argument that women’s consciousness stems from and oppresses women not only in the public, but also the private sphere, informing her advocacy against romantic love and monogamous marriage. She believed heterosexual relationships were political due to the unequal power balance, and the fact that they often confined women to the home preventing them from building careers. Also revolutionary in her belief in women needing a sexual revolution to overcome the patriarchy. This revolution would involve countering the “false consciousness”, including stopping it from developing by abolishing the current nuclear family, and encouraging the pursual of lesbian relationships for women. Argued children socialised by the family unit to recognise masculine authority and marginalising women. Rowbotham synthesised radical and revolutionary feminism believing that capitalism worsened the oppression of women, forcing them to sell their labour in the workplace and being a “reserve army”, employed when male workers were in short supply. Within the family home too, women did jobs that were largely unappreciated and entirely unpaid. Thus, she believed in a women’s revolution within a socialist revolution to ensure that equality within the home was destroyed as well as the inequality within the capitalist economy.
P – Post-modern feminism – Not revolutionary but radical. Hooks was radical in that she redefined feminism beyond the confines of middle-class, white families and became a leader of 3rd wave feminism, by analysing the complex relationships between different minorities in society. 3rd wave feminists argued for an intersectional approach and hooks inspired this by challenging the earlier feminist assumptions that gender was the most important factor in a women’s life, instead women have multiple overlapping identities including gender, class, race, sexuality and religion. Crenshaw argued a woman who is poor, a lesbian, has physical disabilities, and is from an ethnic minority will face discrimination on each and everyone of those grounds. Therefore, radical in its expansion of feminism to improve the lives of people from across all walks of life, not just middle-class white women like 1st and 2nd wave feminists.
