Feminist View Of The Family Flashcards
(7 cards)
Feminist theory of the nuclear family
feminists are highly critical of the nuclear family because they feel it has harmful effects for women
Marxist feminists
They see social class relationships as the main cause of inequality. See all labour as exploited by the ruling class. Gender exploitation by ruling class.
Benston (1972) argues that women help to reproduce labour power for capitalism e.g through women’s unpaid domestic labour such as housework ensures male workforce is healthy and productive.
Criticisms of Marxist feminism
They insist that the nuclear family only benefits ruling class men. However this can be criticised because some women choose to live in such families because they enjoy being a mother, wife partner etc.
The Marxist feminist model of the family is outdated and today many women now do paid work and not always just doing domestic work at home.
Radical feminism
They argue that it is not capitalism that exploits women but men. Feel men control and put violence onto women. Delphy and Leonard (1992) claim husbands exploit their wives.
Criticisms of radical feminism
Radical feminists fail to take into account recent economical and social changes such as the educational success of young females, women’s use of divorce etc.
Somerville and Hakim both argue that radical feminists sociologists exaggerate the exploitation of women in the family and that women at most still value a relationship with men.
Liberal feminists
Liberal feminists see the family as an institution that specialises in socialisation. In the family children can learn gender roles, using role models that are available to them.
Somerville on liberal feminism
Somerville argues that the picture of the family painted by some feminists of women being exploited by men in families is outdated.
Women have made progress to this day such as more choice about wanting to marry, divorce and cohabitation.
