feminism - human nature Flashcards
(4 cards)
Paragraph One Broad Agreement That Human Nature And Traditional Gender Roles Are Socially Determined
A central belief shared by the vast majority of feminists is that gender is a social construct, learned and reinforced through socialisation from an early age, rather than an inevitable outcome of biological sex. This distinction between sex and gender is foundational to feminist thought. Simone de Beauvoir was pivotal in articulating this idea, arguing that while biological differences between men and women are undeniable, the roles and behaviours associated with each are socially constructed. She famously stated, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,” highlighting how society shapes girls to internalise passivity, nurturing, and subservience, confining them to motherhood and domestic roles rather than politics or technology.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman further explained that this socialisation subtly coerces girls into traditional roles, reinforced through cultural practices such as the types of toys they play with or restrictive clothing that limits physical freedom. These early lessons teach girls that their worth is tied to appearance and conformity to feminine ideals.
This belief in the social construction of gender is echoed across feminist strands. Liberal feminists argue that restrictive social attitudes undermine women’s autonomy and rationality, advocating equal opportunities to overcome these barriers. Mary Wollstonecraft contended that perceived female inferiority stems from unequal education rather than biology, while Betty Friedan identified the “feminine mystique” — the societal expectation that women find fulfillment solely in domesticity — as a limiting ideology.
Socialist feminists emphasise that gender roles are enforced by capitalist structures, which compel women into domestic labour and economic dependence on men. Gilman described marriage as a socio-economic contract that binds women’s survival to their domestic and reproductive labour.
Radical feminists analyse culture and social attitudes to expose how patriarchal ideology perpetuates women’s subordination. Kate Millett, for example, argued that literature and art serve as tools of “sexual politics,” normalising male dominance and the control and exploitation of women. For radical feminists, dismantling these traditional gender roles is essential to challenging patriarchy and achieving true gender liberation.
Paragraph Two Difference Feminismʼs Rejection Of Human Nature Being Socially Determined
On the other hand, feminists are not united in their views on human nature, as Difference Feminists disagree sharply with Equality Feminists by arguing that men and women have fundamentally different biologically determined natures. Emerging in the 1980s, this smaller group—often identifying as Radical Feminists, though not universally accepted by all radicals—embraced essentialism: the belief that certain traits, behaviours, and roles are inherently tied to biological sex.
Difference feminists claim that women are naturally more nurturing and empathetic than men, qualities undervalued in a patriarchal society. Instead of rejecting these traits, they argue women should embrace and respect their innate nature and challenge the dominance of male norms. They critique Equality Feminists for encouraging women to emulate male behaviour, which they see as a flawed approach.
A subset known as cultural feminists focuses on celebrating women’s unique qualities and cultural contributions, asserting that women’s ways of knowing and relating are fundamentally different from men’s and should be valued equally alongside traditionally masculine traits. Some difference feminists go further, advocating separatism, the idea that patriarchy is so deeply entrenched that true liberation requires women to separate physically and intellectually from male-dominated spaces. Mary Daly, for instance, believed that women could reclaim their power and create a new reality by forming separate spheres away from patriarchy’s influence.
However, the vast majority of feminists reject Difference Feminism, aligning instead with Equality Feminism, which holds that biology is largely irrelevant and that differences between men and women are socially constructed and should be challenged. Equality feminists argue that essentialist views reinforce harmful gender stereotypes by implying that women are naturally suited to certain roles, thereby entrenching existing inequalities.
Simone de Beauvoir exemplified this view, asserting that women need not reject traditionally male traits, as these too are socially constructed. She advocated for women’s full participation in politics, the economy, and society on equal footing with men. Equality feminists thus promote the idea that gender roles are learned and mutable, envisioning a society where individuals are free to pursue opportunities based on talent and interest rather than prescribed sex roles.
Paragraph Three Post-modern Feminism Has A More Fluid And Diverse Understanding Of Gender And Women
Another notable disagreement among feminists in relation to human nature can be seen in Post- modern Feminismʼs criticism of second-wave feminists for generalising what it is to be a woman and the experiences of women.
Post-modern feminists go even further than earlier strands of feminism in arguing that gender is socially rather than biologically determined. They promote a more fluid and less fixed understanding of gender and what it means to be a woman, emphasising the diversity and multiplicity of identities that exist within womanhood.
They reject the idea that there is a single, universal experience of being a woman, and argue that gender is not a rigid, binary category but rather a spectrum of identities that intersect with other aspects of a personʼs social and personal life, such as race, class, sexuality, and culture.
This perspective challenged earlier feminists, in particular Radical Feminists and Liberal Feminists, that they argue generalised white, middle-class womenʼs experiences under a broad notion of sisterhood, which tended to marginalise those whose lives did not fit this narrative.
bell hooks argued that womenʼs experiences shouldnʼt be universalised, but that instead there should be a focus on solidarity between women and other groups facing oppression in different ways.
She argued that alliances must be built between groups who have differences in order to work together and build a more inclusive movement, so that systems of oppression can be effectively challenged and dismantled.
conclusion -
In conclusion, feminists are largely united in viewing human nature and gender roles as socially constructed rather than biologically determined. While Difference Feminists argue that gender differences are innate, they represent a small minority and are rejected by most Radical Feminists and other feminist strands. The belief in the social construction of gender is central to feminism and drives the push to challenge and dismantle traditional gender roles. Post-modern feminists take this further, emphasizing the fluid and diverse nature of gender.
