Feminism (families)

Question 1

Wollstonecraft (liberal)

Answer 1

• argued women should be equal partners in marriage and should be entitled to an education
• women exist in a metaphorical ‘bird cage’ trapped by patriarchal society- lack of education meant it was impossible for them to gain employment and flourish as individuals

Question 2

Oakley (marxist)

Answer 2

• sexual division of labour means women are expected to be responsible for domestic work and childcare - means women are economically dependent on men (no access to own money), economic power differences between husbands and wives mean they experience lack of control (domestic violence)
• male control over sexuality and fertility means their needs are assumed to be more important and women expected to please- lose their own identity

Question 3

Beechey (marxist)

Answer 3

• women are largely regarded as dependent on men, employers are able to pay wages to women which are not enough to live on, keeping them dependent

Question 4

Breugal (marxist)

Answer 4

• see women as a reserve army of labour for women to be hired and fired easily- maintains that women’s unemployment is easily disguised (primary work as housewife)

Question 5

Benston (marxist)

Answer 5

• capitalism gets two workers for price of one, women cook and clean for men and if not then employers would have to pay higher wages to pay for these services
• reduce profit for capitalists

Question 6

Ansley (marxist)

Answer 6

• emotional support provided by the wife as a ‘safety valve’ for frustration of men produced by working in a capitalist system (absorbed by comforting wife)

Question 7

Amos and Parmar (difference)

Answer 7

• argue black women have different experiences to other women as they not only have to deal with sexism, but racism too
• black woman’s family may be great source of comfort and support

Question 8

Delphy and Leonard (radical)

Answer 8

• women contribute much more work to family life than husbands- 57 varieties of unpaid service (including pliant sexual partner)
• male head of household as decision making power due to ultimate responsibility for family resources

Question 9

Firestone (radical)

Answer 9

• childbearing is a burden putting women at a disadvantage in the past
• new fertilisation technology will free women from dependence on men

Question 10

Rich (radical)

Answer 10

• refers to the idea of compulsory sexuality where women are forced into heterosexuality as it is only accepted form of sexuality
• lesbianism is seen as deviant/ abnormal (sexual intercourse with men is colluding with their main enemy)

Question 11

Criticisms of feminism

Answer 11

• assuming traditional nuclear family as dominant
• criticised for structural view