Feminism Flashcards
(14 cards)
AO1: Radical feminism
- Valerie Bryson (1999): All men oppress women.
- Society and family are patriarchal and male-dominated.
- Oppression may be rooted in biology or violent male culture.
- A sexual revolution is needed to free women and end LGBTQ+ oppression.
- Some support separation from men or female-led (matriarchal) society.
- Radical libertarians: gender is a social construct and should be abolished.
AO3: Radical feminism
Strengths
* Exposes deep-rooted patriarchy.
* Highlights male violence and rape culture.
* Demands radical social change.
Weaknesses
* Overgeneralises all men as oppressors.
* Lacks intersectionality.
* Separatism is often seen as unrealistic.
AO1: Liberal feminists
- Oakley (1974): Gender roles aren’t biologically fixed – they’re shaped by culture.
- Both men and women are oppressed by rigid gender roles.
- Gender inequality limits everyone’s potential.
- Main aim: equal opportunities in education, work, etc.
- Challenge sexism in media, books, and socialisation.
- Seek gradual change through existing democratic systems, not revolution.
AO3: Liberal feminists
Strengths
* Promotes practical, achievable reforms.
* Highlights how gender roles harm both sexes.
* Focuses on education, media, and laws to tackle inequality.
Weaknesses
* Too optimistic about gradual change.
* Overlooks deeper, structural patriarchy.
* Ignores intersectionality and other forms of oppression.
AO1: Marxist/socialist feminism
- Women are exploited by capitalism through unpaid domestic labour.
- They reproduce and maintain the workforce (workers and consumers).
- Origin of oppression: private property and control over inheritance.
- Women lost power when men secured property through marriage.
- Women and working-class men share oppression under capitalism.
- Aim: revolutionary change toward a classless, communist society.
AO3: Marxist/socialist feminism
Strengths
* Links women’s oppression to economic structures.
* Explains how capitalism benefits from unpaid female labour.
* Encourages solidarity between women and working-class men.
Weaknesses
* Focuses too much on class, overlooking gender-specific issues.
* Underestimates patriarchy outside of capitalism.
* Revolution may seem unrealistic or too idealistic.
AO1: Black feminism
- Black women face both racism and sexism.
- Mainstream feminism ignores their unique struggles.
- Slavery shaped their historical oppression.
- Women of colour often support privileged white women’s lifestyles.
- Race, class, and gender create intersecting inequalities.
- Led to the creation of their own academic space.
AO1: Heidi Safia Mirza (1997)
- Stresses the links between Black British feminism and postcolonial feminism.
AO1: Connell (2009)
- Emphasises the importance of postcolonial feminism in developing perspectives that challenge the dominance of Western feminism.
AO3: Black feminism
Strengths
* Highlights racism in feminism.
* Reflects diverse women’s experiences.
* Shows how race, class, and gender intersect.
Weaknesses
* Can divide feminist movement.
* Harder to create unified action.
* Criticised for overemphasising identity.
AO1: Postmodern feminism
- Women have diverse identities and face different forms of oppression.
- No single explanation fits all women’s experiences.
- Focus on how sexist language shapes thought and reinforces patriarchy.
- Women are treated as the “other” (e.g., in sport).
- Cixous: Language is phallocentric, limiting women’s expression.
- Women now have more sexual freedom; feminine and masculine views can merge.
AO3: Postmodern feminism
Strengths
* Recognises diversity among women.
* Highlights how language reinforces sexism.
* Challenges one-size-fits-all feminist approaches.
Weaknesses
* Can lack clear solutions or action.
* Overly focused on language and symbols.
* May ignore material and structural inequalities.
AO3: Overall evaluation of Feminism
- Each feminist theory highlights different causes of oppression.
- Alone, each has limitations and blind spots.
- Together, they reveal the complexity of women’s experiences.
- Intersectional feminism offers the most inclusive understanding.
