Feminism and Family Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is feminist’s general perspective on family?
- Emphasise the harmful effects of the family upon women
- The role of the family in continuing the oppression of women
What did Greer say?
Felt women are overtly controlled within marriage and that men seek to control them through limiting their power in the family
What type of feminist in Greer?
Radical
What did Sommerville say?
She argued that both men and women were limited to a system which demanded they stick to very restrictive roles.
Argued that the inequalities between men and women are largely the result of outdated laws and approaches that men did not intentionally hold women back.
What type of feminist is Sommerville?
Liberal
What did Fran Ansley say?
Argued women are ‘takers of shit’ and that they were limited to the role of housewives in order to absorb the stress which their husbands accumulated in the workplace and make them feel better.
What type of feminist was Ansley?
Marxist
What did Bell Hooks say?
Looked at the intersection between racism and sexism in America and how that led to black women having the lowest status in American society.
What does Connell say?
Theory on Hegemonic masculinity
That refers to the dominant form of masculinity that is privileged and upheld in society and characterised by strengh, courage, aggression and the ability to provide and protect
What do feminists say mostly women still do…
- perform most housework and childcare tasks
- make sacrifices to make sure their children are fed and dressed
- are less likely to make the most important decisions about their family
- more likely to give up paid work as they are expected to look after children
What are libaral feminists ideas?
They recognise women’s position in the family and think the best way to improve the position of women in the family and society is through reform measures within the present system that removes all discrimination and gender inequality.
What are radical feminists ideas?
Focus on the problems of patriarchy in society and in the family as the main obstacle of womens equality.
They believe women are better off if they steer clear of patriachal families and their solution is to basically reject the family life and in some cases reject men altogether.
What are marxist feminists ideas?
Emphasise the way in which women are doubly exploited - both as workers and as women. They see the family, and womens work in the family as contributing to the maintenance of capitalism.
What does Hakim say?
That the inequality in the family and the self-evident proof of sex discrimination and sex role stereotyping may be a result of womens eprsonal choices and preferences and that some women want to be full time housewives and mothers because they enjoy it
What are some criticisms of feminist perspective of the family?
- womens role are not the same in all families
- more women are working and have independent incomes
- around 2/3 of divorce is initiated by women
