Gender inequality - Feminist explanations

Question 1

What does Oakley look at?

Answer 1

Liberal Feminists explanation of gender inequality

Question 2

What do liberal feminists like Oakley want?

Answer 2

to obtain equal opportunities and equal rights for males and females in society

Question 3

What do liberal feminists believe gender inequality is the result of?

Answer 3

socialisation and unfair laws that reinforce discrimination and NOT due to biological differences

Question 4

What do liberal feminists believe will fix gender inequality?

Answer 4

Changing norms and values that reinforce gender divisions, legislation and law changes can do this

Question 5

What Acts account for evidence of the success of liberal feminists campaigns?

Answer 5

Equal Pay Act and Sexual Discrimination Act

Question 6

Oakley (1979)

Answer 6

looked at gender role socialisation in the family and this is where gender inequality begins

Question 7

What processes does Oakley (1979) believe teaches children norms and values for their gender?

Answer 7

Manipulation, Canalisation and agents of socialisation such as the media and education

Question 8

Manipulation

Answer 8

encourages behaviour seen as gender appropriate e.g. girls dressed in pink, and attention paid to appearance

Question 9

Canalisation

Answer 9

children are channelled to play with gender appropriate toys e.g. boys with cars, and certain behaviours might be encouraged/discouraged e.g. boys should not cry.

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of Oakley’s work and Liberal feminists?

Answer 10

• criticised by Postmodernist sociologists who see gender as no longer being fixed
• Radical and Marxist Feminist criticise work for failing to explain how males and females hold different levels of power in society
• criticised by other sociologists for being too optimistic about their own positive achievements

Question 11

How do postmodernists as critics of Oakley and Liberal feminists see gender?

Answer 11

As consisting of a range of different masculinities and femininities. We no longer have clear cut sets of gender roles for children to be socialised into, instead there is a pick and mix selection which might help reduce the gender inequality that exists in society today

Question 12

How do radical feminists as critics of Oakley and Liberal feminists explain how males and females hold different levels of power in society?

Answer 12

explain this issue in the form of patriarchy

Question 13

How do marxist feminists as critics of Oakley and Liberal feminists explain how males and females hold different levels of power in society?

Answer 13

explain this issue by capitalism

Question 14

Why have Liberal feminists been criticised by other sociologists for being too optimistic about their own positive achievements in campaigning and making positive changes for females in society?

Answer 14

The Equal Pay Act came into force in 1970, but in 2023, the gender pay gap still exists between males and females which shows that there is still a distinct gender inequality. The pay gap is 14% between males and females

Question 15

What does Millett (1970) look at?

Answer 15

Radical Feminist ideas about gender inequality

Question 16

What do radical feminists like Millett see as the main source of female oppression?

Answer 16

The patriarchy

Question 17

Why do radical feminists like Millett see the patriarchy as the main source of female oppression?

Answer 17

• Society is run by men, with their interests at the centre.
• Men are advantaged in every area of social life, and will not give up their power and control
• Gender inequality is the outcome of the collective efforts of men to dominate, control and exploit women

Question 18

What do radical feminists like Millett see as key aspects to women’s oppression?

Answer 18

• The family
• Gender divisions of labour in the family reinforce male domination by patriarchy
• Female oppression has a biological element

Question 19

How does Millett claim men acquire power over women?

Answer 19

due to biological factors. Contraceptive pills means males no longer have power over women. Men are prepared to defend their power and will use violence against women to control them if they have to

Question 20

What does Johnson state as Patriarchal terrorism?

Answer 20

men use violence as they feel it is their right to control THEIR women. They use violence, threats and isolation. Domestic violence is common across the world and reflect patriarchy.

Question 21

What is a statistic from 2022 that reflects Patriarchal terrorism?

Answer 21

In 2022, there were 1.7 million cases recorded of domestic violence in the England and Wales for women and 699,000 for males

Question 22

Who thought of Separatism?

Answer 22

Radical feminists

Question 23

Separatism

Answer 23

A form of political lesbianism which is a choice women make to liberate themselves and avoid sleeping with the enemy

Question 24

What did Atkinson say about lesbianism?

Answer 24

“Feminism is the theory, lesbianism is the practice” (second wave feminism)

Question 25

What are the advantages of ideas about gender inequality by radical feminists like Millett?

Answer 25

- Supporting evidence that females contribute the most to domestic labour - Radical feminist ideas are supported by leech and "Dark side of the family"

Question 26

What statistics from the ONS support the idea that females contribute the most to domestic labour?

Answer 26

ONS in 2022 found that females spent 15 hours a week, and males spend 10 hours a week on housework chores

Question 27

Leech on the "dark side of the family"

Answer 27

Males come home from work angry and frustrated and vent their frustrations on their wife. This can lead to domestic violence. Research suggests that domestic violence is prone to increase if the female is pregnant, and this might be because males feel under even more pressure to financially provide for the wife and unborn child

Question 28

What is the disadvantage of ideas about gender inequality by radical feminists like Millett?

Answer 28

Radical feminists have been criticised for over emphasising the differences that exist between males and females in society which help promote the idea of gender inequality

Question 29

How do radical feminists over emphasise the differences between males and females in society?

Answer 29

Males and females can work together effectively and cooperatively for instance both males and females might campaign for gender equality. We must be aware that these issue can also affect males as much as females

Question 30

What does Walby look at?

Answer 30

Intersectionality - Marxist and Radical Feminism