Feminism: Liberal or reformist feminism Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Feminism: Liberal or reformist feminism Deck (16)
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1
Q

What do liberals believe all humans should have? How does this logic relate to feminism?

A
  • equal rights

- as men and women are human beings so both should have the same inalienable human rights

2
Q

What is reformism?

A
  • the ideas that progress towards equal rights can be achieved by gradual reforms or piecemeal changes in society without the need for revolution
3
Q

What are the two things that liberal feminists think should change?

A
  • laws and policies

- cultural change

4
Q

Give some examples of laws that promote feminism

A
  • laws and policies against sex discrimination
5
Q

Give some examples of the cultural stereotypes that liberal feminists want to change

A
  • belief that women are less rational and more dominated by emotion
  • that they’re more suited to childrearing and housework
6
Q

What do liberal feminists distinguish between?

A
  • sex and gender
7
Q

How do liberal feminists believe sexist attitudes/ stereotypical beliefs about gender are constructed and transmitted?

A
  • socially constructed and transmitted through socialisation
8
Q

How do liberal feminists believe we can achieve gender equality?

A
  • change society’s socialisation patterns
9
Q

What two things do LF do to try and change society’s socialisation patterns?

A
  • seek to appropriate role models in education and the family
  • they challenge gender stereotyping the media
10
Q

As LF is an optimistic theory and is in keeping with the Enlightenment project and its faith in progress - what do LF believe about changes in socialisation and culture?

A
  • these changes are gradually leading to more rational attitudes to gender and overcoming ignorance and prejudice
11
Q

As LF is an optimistic theory and is in keeping with the Enlightenment project and its faith in progress - what do LF believe about changes in political action introducing anti-discriminatory laws/ policies?

A
  • it’s steadily bringing about progress to a fairer society in which a person’s gender is no longer important
12
Q

How can liberalism feminism be seen as a critique of the functionalist view of gender roles?

A
  • functionalists distinguish between instrumental and expressive roles and in Parsons’ view, instrumental roles are the domain of men and expressive roles are the domain of women - LF challenge this distinction
13
Q

What do LF argue about roles in both the public and private spheres?

A
  • both genders are equally capable of performing roles in both spheres and that traditional roles prevent both men and women from leading fulfilling lives
14
Q

What do LF aim to do?

A
  • break down the barrier between the two spheres
15
Q

Although LF critiques the functionalist view, in what way is it the closest to a consensus view of society?

A
  • it recognises conflict between men and women but these are not seen as inevitable but merely a product of outdated attitudes
16
Q

How would ending the gender division of labour benefit men?

A
  • it would allow men to express their ‘feminine’ nurturing side