Feminist Theory

Question 1

Feminist Theory - Liberal - Oakley

Answer 1

• Equal rights can be achieved through law changes
• Gender equality is on a march of progress: votes for women, equal pay act
• Institutions need to combat sexist lang + attitudes, changing soc, textbooks, role models + remove gender roles

Question 2

Feminist Theory - Evaluating Liberal

Answer 2

• Some campaigns have been successful: GIST, WISE, Votes, Teachers
• Inequalities still exist legally + culturally
• Violence against women continues
- Sarah Evarad - police raped + killed her

Question 3

Feminist Theory - Radical - Fireston

Answer 3

• All soc are patriarchal
• All men benefit from female oppression (unpaid labour + sex)

Question 4

Feminist Theory - Radical - Brownmiller

Answer 4

• The personal is patriarchal
• All personal relationships are based on power
• Women controlled by men in personal + professional relationships
- fear of walking alone at night –> keeps them at home

Question 5

Feminist Theory - Radical - Greer - Solution

Answer 5

• Solution = separatism - women live independently + political lesbianism - sexual orientation is seperate from patriarchal control

Question 6

Feminist Theory - Marxist Feminist - Hartmann - Women’s role in capitalist survival

Answer 6

• Women are oppressed by dual system - patriarchy + capitalism
• Women perform key functions in family for capitalist survival:
- reproduce labour force (socialise kids to accept capitalism)
- Absorb partners anger from alienation at work
- Source of cheap labour - only employed when short staffed

Question 7

Feminist Theory - Marxist Feminist - Barrett - Ideology + NF

Answer 7

• Ideology –> capitalism presents NF as natural despite being neg for women

Question 8

Feminist Theory - Difference Feminist - Abbott

Answer 8

• No universal experience of womanhood - all different
• Other Feminists only discuss white, mc women
• Black Feminists view family as pos –> shields from racism

Question 9

Feminist Theory - Evaluating Difference Feminism - Walby + Segal

Answer 9

• Walby –> all women face same challenges
• Segal –> emphasising difference divides women

Question 10

Feminist Theory - Postmodern Feminist - Butler

Answer 10

• Meaning of womanhood changes for time + place
- no universal understanding
- social Constructs of gender
• phallocentric –> label women by men