Political Ideas: Feminism

what are the 2 fundamental principles that underpin the entire ideology of feminism?

1) women have historically had a role in society which is inferior and so suffer both injustices and institutionalised disadvantages
2) this forced subservience of women is neither inevitable nor desirable so it can, should and will be changed through awareness and, above all, by action

what are they 2 key texts at the heart of the emergence of liberal feminism?

Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792)
Harriet Taylor's Enfranchisement of Women (1851)

what was the main driving force of the origins of feminism?

there were societal customs and legal constraints that stopped women from entering the public sphere or made their success there impossible.

why were women denied places in the public sphere/academics?

they were deemed not to be rational nor intellectually nor physically capable enough

what was the main aim of the original ideas of feminism?

to achieve basic rights and formal equality for women to make sure that the rules of the game were fair and all could compete free from discrimination

what are the 3 main waves of feminism?

1st wave: liberal feminism
2nd wave: Marxist, radical and socialist feminism
3rd wave: post-modern feminism

what are the main themes that bind together the 1st wave: liberal feminism?

classical liberalism
rationality
education
gender justice
reformism

key theme of liberal feminism: explain:
classical liberalism

liberal feminism utilises liberalist beliefs about human nature, freedom and the individual to create a feminist theory that liberates women

key theme of liberal feminism: explain:
rationality

Wollstonecraft's argument started with the premise that women are human. All humans have the same capacity for rationality so women have the same capacity to be rational as men

key theme of liberal feminism: explain:
education

Wollstonecraft demanded real education for women on the basis of their capacity for reason. This would have 2 benefits:
- rational and independent women would bring benefits to wider society
- would allow rational and independent women to be autonomous, making their own choices about their life, which for Wollstonecraft, was the basis for being fully human

key theme of liberal feminism: explain:
gender justice

discrimination against women came in the form of lack of rights and opportunities for women
in line with the liberal idea that all have equal moral worth, there should be equality of treatment in:
- intellectual sphere (right to education)
- civic life (right to vote and have a role in law-making)
- economic life (equal opportunities to access all jobs and equal pay for the same work (crucial to Gilman))

key theme of liberal feminism: explain:
reformism

crucial to achieving gender justice was winning the right to vote. Once women could influence the making of laws, these could be shaped to tackle discrimination against them and ensure equality of treatment.

what are 2 examples of contemporary directions in liberal feminism?
why have these ideas come about?

in recent years, liberal feminists have campaigned for more that needs to be done to counteract years of entrenched discrimination
this can involve affirmative action/positive discrimination

- use of all-women shortlists like the Labour Party to tackle the gender imbalance in Parliament
- Affirmative Action in the USA - 1967 President Johnson added gender to the requisites of the intiative

who was a key liberal feminist thinker alive 1860-1935?

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman
key work? key message?
how was she in line with liberal feminism? and how not?
what did she say was unique about humankind and why this limited social progress?
what did she argue about women's roles being created?

- Women and Economics (1898)
- in tune with liberal feminism as she saw economic hurdles blocking women's progress
- however her idea of gender as a social construction does not fit into any strands of feminism well
- humanity was the only species where the 'female depends on the male for food' and 'sex relations is also an economic relation' and this limited social progress and evolution
- as a women lacks economic independence, she was assigned a 'social role that locked her into her home' and this role was culturally, not biologically, created

Charlotte Perkins Gilman
how did the male domination of society reinforce the what role of women
what is a quote that summarises how women are human but are prevented from progressing?
- what did Gilman believe about evolution?
and how did this influence her solution to the struggle for women's rights?
what would this solution create for women and then society?

the male domination creating a nearly androcentric culture with male domination in all spheres except the domestic duties as parent, spouse and housekeeper
- women have 'the same human energies and human desires and ambition within' but their culturally defined roles have 'kept them back from their share in progress'
- as a Reform Darwinist, Gilman believed humanity could direct and control evolution through its own actions
- her proposed solution was economic independence for women, centralised nurseries and cooperative kitchens to create true freedom for women to think and judge for themselves
- this freedom for women (and thus equality between women and men) would allow a more natural growth of the qualities and virtues that would true and lasting progress to society.

what is androcentric

focused or centered on men

what is Reform Darwinism?

the concept that humans are not helpless in the face of evolution; through their actions, they can shape and control it

what are the key themes of Marxist, radical and socialist feminism?

Marxist feminism
Radical feminism
'The personal is the political'
Sex and gender
Patriarchy

what is reproductive labour?

unpaid labour performed by women in the home, e.g. cooking, washing clothes and raising children.
this unpaid labour produces the workers of the future and ensures the current workers are fit and able to work

what is the patriarchy

a network of systems of control which systematically allow men to dominate and exploit women

what is androgyny

combination of masculine and feminine characteristics, revealing that differences between men and women are so slight that they should have no impact on their political, social and economic role

what is existentialism

A philosophy based on the idea that people give meaning to their lives through their choices and actions rather than having natural nature or essence

Marxist feminism
what did they see as the root cause of the oppression of women
what did Engels argue in The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State
where was the starting point of the oppression, how had this been brough about
what was marriage built on
what was the woman's home role to do?

- capitalism as root cause of oppression of women
- Engels argued in The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State that class oppression is most universal form of oppression and from where all other forms originate
- start point: the move away from families being matrilineal to the man taking command in the home. This move was brought about by the advent of private property and capitalism.
- marriage was an institution built on exploitation with man as property-owning bourgeois and woman as property-less proletarian.
-proletarian woman was reduced to servitude in her own home and instrument to bear children (future working class)

Marxist feminism
how did they build on work of Engels, to argue what should be recognised as labour?
what is the solution to the oppression of women?

- built from Engels: reproductive labour should be recognised as productive and paid or be socialised so that women could work outside.
- solution: abolition of private property, capitalism and the family as an economic unit. This would mean all adults would work and thus marriage and family would no longer be based on economic relations (as men and women would be equal)

radical feminism
what do they argue is the root cause of oppression of women?
who's book was integral to this strand of feminism?
what means that overthrowing capitalism will not remove oppression of women?
what are the three core elements of radical feminism?

- patriarchy is the root cause of oppression
- Kate Millet's Sexual Politics was integral to the radical feminist approach. Focus on how family and wider culture support patriarchal structure in all areas of life.
- patriarchy is first form of oppression historically and means overthrowing capitalism will not eradicate oppression of women.
- three key elements: Hanisch's 'the personal is the political', sex and gender, patriarchy

'the personal is the political'
what do radfems argue about patriarchy being a relationship of what?
what does the personal refer to?
by raising awareness of these issue, how did this affect the understanding female oppression?

- patriarchy is a pervasive relationship that dominates both the public and private sphere.
- personal includes experiences of women related to the female body and in the home and workplace
- by bringing these issues to the surface, the understanding of oppression was greatly deepened.
- the home and female body were added to the political and social as sites of oppression

sex and gender
- what issue did Simone de Beauvoir raise about sex and gender?
-what was her quote that summarised this?
- radfems do not deny that there are biological sex differences, however how do they view humans?
- biology is not oppressive, so what is?
- how is gender a social construct?

- hay un theoretical distinction between sex and gender. Simone de Beauvoir 'One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman'
- view humans as androgynous (so their gender should not affect their perception as a humanbeing)
- men have constructed gender to control women as childbearers
- gender is a social construct bc femininity has changed over time and varies between cultures.

sex and gender
how is femininity constructed?
how are the way masculine traits are viewed in relation to feminine traits used to justify the dominance of man?
when are these traits socialised?

- femininity is constructed and then imposed on women, setting out expectations, rules and limits on their behaviour
- masculine traits like assertiveness, courage, etc. are viewed as superior to feminine traits like passivity, emotional, etc. to justify the dominance of men
- traits are socialised in childhood with family and wider culture teaching children the social rules they should adhere to

which key radical feminist thinker used existentialism to ask 'what is a woman?'

Simone de Beauvoir

key thinker: Simone de Beauvoir
what did she question in 'The Second Sex'?
what did she answer?
in looking for sources of oppression and not finding a complete culprit, what did she look to?
what did she surmise was the reason men wanted to oppress women?

- used existentialism to ask 'What is a woman?'
- she argued that oppression of women is unique and without a historical starting point.
- looking for sources of oppression, biological, psychological and socialists analysis fell short so she looked for explanation in women's being/existence and found:
-- Men are like women bc they are free but subject to nature with bodies that aren't fully controllable
-- desiring to be free and create their own meaning in the world, men see themselves as the Self and see nature as the Other, as a threat and danger
- as women are tied to their bodies through the reproductive process, they are seen by men as part of nature, and so the Other
- the Self must control the Other

key thinker: Simone de Beauvoir
what do men create to otherise the woman?
why is this a myth?
how are women socialised into this role?
why are women complicit in their own oppression?
what did Beauvoir offer as 4 solutions to create a future where men and women are true equals?

- men create the feminine myth/mystery (about what it is to be a woman, motherhood and female sexuality) to make women the embodiment of nature
- the essence of femininity has to be a myth bc humans have no inherent nature or essence.
- women are socialised into this role through childhood experiences and cultural expectations based on socially constructed standards ('One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman')
- women have internalised this alien view of the Self and Other and so are complicit in their own oppression
Beauvoir's methods for female equality with men: Women must:
- go out to work
- become intellectuals
- exercise their sexuality as they see fit
- seek economic justice and independence by changing society to socialist

radical feminism
- how can patriarchy be removed?
- what 6 different structures does Sylvia Walby identify that form this system of control?

Patriarchy cannot be reformed, only rooted out through revolution
- the state
- the household
- culture
- sexuality
- work
- violence

which two sides does the debate over how to eradicate the patriarchy create?

equality feminists and differences feminists

equality feminists vs difference feminists
- how they see patriarchy and sexual equality?

equality feminism:
sees patriarchy as a male-imposed construction and the imposition of difference
- patriarchy must be removed by freeing women from 'difference' so that there is sexual equality
- sexual equality is equality in familial and personal life
- this is based on the idea that biological differences between men and women are of little importance and their human nature is basically the same

differences feminists
explain how they view the patriarchy and differences between the sexes?

difference feminism:
there are clear biological and psychological differences between men and women and these differences matter
- by seeking liberation through equality, women are seeking to be like men rather than having their own women-centred approach.
- the idea of androgyny is entirely misplaced as it ignores the significance of these biological differences
- C.Gilligan's 'In a Different Voice' showed that men and women had a different approach to moral dilemmas.

equality feminists
potential solutions to patriarchy
- what did Shulamith Firestone argue?
- women should be released from?
- women should be free to explore their what?
- every individual should be given the freedom to be?
- how do they view cultural feminism?
- what do they argue separatist feminism does?

- Shulamith Firestone argued: if women are to be liberated, they must have control over their own bodies. Including, reproductive control over contraception, etc.
- women should be released from the domestic responsibility of childcare by creating socialised childcare
- women should be free to explore their sexuality in the way they desire
- every individual should be given the choice to be androgynous and choose the masculine/feminine traits that are beneficial to both sexes.
- see ideas of cultural feminism as rolling back the gains of feminism by focusing on female traits
- they argue that separatist feminism replaces sexual freedom with sex as a political statement

difference feminists
potential solutions to patriarchy and oppresion of women
- why should they create a women centred culture (cultural feminism)?
- either way, the feminine self will be based on what?
- some diffems go further and argue what abt sex differences? and patriarchy as an expression of?
- what is the solution to this?
- what must women escape from the male-defined concept of?

- women should create a women-centred culture (cultural feminism) bc:
-- gender is male-defined, so women should throw off the male definition and define their own femininity in a way that is unrelated to men or masculinity OR
-- patriarchy has imposed a false nature on women, which they must throw off to discover their true identity - the true feminine self
- either way, the feminine self will be based on the values of women, which are different from men
- some diffems go further to argue that sex differences are natural and patriarchy is a direct expression of male human nature
- so, women must escape the male-defined concept of sexuality (heterosexuality) and define their own form of sexuality (autoeroticism, lesbianism or celibacy)

what is cultural feminism

a new form of culture could be developed based on feminine traits that women possess but which are devalued by patriarchy.
strong cultural feminism argues that women have essential traits that are peaceful, nurturing and intuitive.

what is separatist feminism

political and sexual inequalities between men and women cannot be resolved so heterosexual relationships of any kind should be opposed.
separatist feminists focus on women working together, living together and engaging in relationships with each other to achieve their goals

what is the main difference of difference feminism from equality feminism>?

difference feminism has developed a critique of equality feminism based on the idea that it encourages women to be like men.

who was a radical feminist thinker who argued for 'sexual politics'

Kate Millett

key thinker: Kate Millett
why did she argue for sexual politics?
the root of oppression can be found where?
patriarchy is what?
in the patriarchal family, what is the exchange between man and woman?
what is the key institution of patriarchy? what happens here? what is created?

argued for sexual politics as politics refers to any power-structured relationship like the one between men and women
- roots of oppression of women are found in patriarchal sex/gender system
- patriarchy is pervasive: found in every sphere of life
- in patriarchal family, man has priority, with marriage being exchange of female domestic support and sex in return for financial support
- key institution of patriarchy is the family - it acts as 'a patriarchal unit in a patriarchal whole'. It is within the family that children are socialised into patriarchy-prescribed gender roles. Wider culture reinforces these to create a uniformity of attitudes

key thinker: Kate Millett
all systems of oppression that operate in society cannot be overturned unless what?
what is necessary to overturn the patriarchy?
what would this involve? (4 things)

- all systems of oppression in society cannot be overturned unless the fundamental form of oppression - patriarchy - is overturned
- to overturn patriarchy, it is necessary to overturn gender as constructed by it.
- this sexual revolution would involve:
-- the end of sexual inhibitions and taboos to create sexual freedom
-- the end of ideology of patriarchy and its means of socialisation - the family unit
- the undermining of the traditional family unit through the abolition of the sex role for women, full economic independence for women and the socialisation of care of the young
- a re-examination of the masculine and feminine traits of gender, selecting those traits which are desirable to both sexes.

socialist feminism
when did it emerge
who is it strongly associated with?
what did it seek to do?

closely associated with Sheila Rowbotham
emerged in the 1970s
sought to blend the ideas of radical feminism with Marxist feminism

socialist feminism
- what do women act as?
- as labour in the home is unrecognised, what does this suggest and make happen?
- what is used to make the subordination of women to men appear as natural?
- reform will never be enough because?
- why must both patriarchy and capitalism both be tackled separately and collaboratively?

- women act as a reserve army of labour, working for low wages and returning to the home when there is unemployment
- as domestic labour is unrecognised, it is used to suggest that women are unreliable so must be kept out of better jobs
- the propaganda around femininity is to make the subordination of women to men appear natural
- reform will never be enough as it is not possible for women to be free within patriarchy or capitalism

- socfem recognises patriarchy and capitalism as forms of oppression that are separate but linked so both must be tackled separately as well as collaboratively through a revolution to liberate women.

who is a key socialist feminist thinker?
book and key message found within?
how did she emphasise that the oppression of women is specific?
where does patriarchy come from? it predates...
what capitalist idea undermines the patriarchal idea that men own women?
how are women in the workforce not exploited in the same way as men?
how is the worse exploitation of women in work advantageous for capitalism?
what would be the key characteristic of an effective movement to liberate women

Sheila Rowbotham
- offered a revolutionary challenge to capitalism and patriarchy in her work, Woman's Consciousness, Man's World
- the issue of being born a woman in capitalism is specific and not an issue that affects all mankind
- patriarchy predates capitalism and is embedded in the sexual division of labour and the possession of women by men. viene de pre-industrial period when it was common for humans to be owned by others.
- under capitalism, the boss controls the labour power of workers but doesnt own them. This undermines patriarchal ideas that men own women
- a la vez, women are allowed into the workplace but not to be exploited equally with men. they are limited to low-paid roles, still responsible for childbearing and so continue to need economic support of men for survival
- women are underprivileged in the workforce and advantageous to capitalism as men can 'console themselves for the lack of control at work with the right to be master in their own home'
- an effective women's liberation movement must be one in which the working-class are the majority.

Sheila Rowbotham
how are women in the workforce not exploited in the same way as men?
how is the worse exploitation of women in work advantageous for capitalism?
what would be the key characteristic of an effective movement to liberate women

- a la vez, women are allowed into the workplace but not to be exploited equally with men. they are limited to low-paid roles, still responsible for childbearing and so continue to need economic support of men for survival
- women are underprivileged in the workforce and advantageous to capitalism as men can 'console themselves for the lack of control at work with the right to be master in their own home'
- an effective women's liberation movement must be one in which the working-class are the majority.

what is postmodernism

emerged towards the end of the 20th century, rejects the idea that there are grand narratives that offer one, all encompassing theory that explains everything

what is postmodernist feminism more like in comparison to other ideologies?

more a collection of different ideas rather than an all-encompassing way of doing things

what is the 3rd wave of feminism?
explain briefly its key 2 characteristics?

postmodern feminism
there is no singular explanation for the oppression of women and there is no singular or uniting experience of oppression for women

why does postmodern feminism focus more on the differences between women than those between men and women?

bc different women in diff locations and times all experience oppression in different ways

what key criticism did bell hooks accuse all preceding forms of feminism of?
instead how did postmodern feminism suggest gender should be understood via?

bell hooks: preceding forms of feminism represented the interests of white, middle-class women who sought sisterhood within their experiences. This side-lined experiences of black women in America and meant their voices were not heard
thus, gender should be understood via intersectionality

postmodern feminism focuses on the idea that there is not one way of understanding feminism - instead how should feminism be defined?

postmodfem: no hay one way of understanding feminism, instead each new gen of women has to define feminism for themselves in light of their own experiences.

who is a key contemporary feminist who addressed gender, race, class and sexual oppression?

bell hooks

bell hooks
book?
what did hooks say about gender defining everything about a woman?
what did hooks' critique of Friedan's 'The Feminine Mystique' say?
what did Friedan's feminist movement give voice to? and who not?

Ain't I a Woman (1981)
- hooks refuses that gender defines eveyrhting abt a female person. one must consider elements like class and race also
- critiqued 'The Feminine Mystique' arguing that the 'problem that has no name' is not the condition of women in society. It is 'the plight of a select group of college-educated, middle and upper class, married white women' who want careers
- the feminist movement gave a voice to this group and ignored the voices of women w/o men, w/o children, homes, money and all non-white women

bell hooks
what interlocking systems did this lead hooks to talk about?
of these, patriarchy exploits the family to teach what and how? who did this marginalise most?
what is the answer?

- this led hooks to talk about the interlocking systems of 'imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy' which shape the dominator culture in the USA and work to promote injustice, exploitation and oppression
- of these, patriarchy is the system that exploits family to teach these dominator values, socialising both sexes to believe men are are inherently dominating and superior and have a right to dominate and rule over the weak
- this systems of oppression left black women the most marginalised group in society
- thus, the answer is to acknowledge patriarchy as the problem and to work collectively (across class, gender and race to end patriarchy and all other forms of oppression

what is post feminism
as a result of this, what do post feminists argue should happen?

post feminism sees many of the objectives of the feminist movement achieved: in employment, financial independence, political power, increasingly in relationships
as a result, it is time to move on from feminism. now, women should focus on female accomplishments and female power.

core idea of feminism: human nature (HN)
areas of agreement?

what is the main issue?
sex/gender differences?
most would argue humans are what?
what are rejected by most?

- the main issue with regard to HN is sex and gender
- for most feminists, sex or biological differences are inconsequential and not relevant to they way in which women should be treated by state, society or economy
- gender is seen as a cultural, not biological construct, based on the artificial constructs of 'masculine' or 'feminine'. Most feminists would argue that humans are androgynous
- gender and fixed inherited gender roles are rejected by most feminists

core ideas of feminism: human nature (HN)
areas of tension
liberals?
Marxist/socialists?
radicals?
postmodernists?

Wollstonecraft/Gilman: HN same for men and women (rational, self-seeking and independent who want freedom to pursue own good life)
Liberal feminists = equality feminists so view all humans as being of equal moral value and thus entitled to formal equality and equality of opportunity

Engels: saw: gender as part of the construct of capitalism to ensure that women fulfil the role of reproductive labour that is required for capitalism to function
Marxfems = equality feminists so focus on economic equality between men and women
Rowbotham: gender is construct of both patriarchy and capitalism to ensure subordination of women. thus formal equality is needed.

Beauvoir/Millett: gender roles = artificially constructed and imposed to secure male dominance. Women are socialised into 'natural' gender roles
Radfems: reject difference feminism as equality in family life is central to general equality
some Radfems: differences between genders are essential for understanding difference between men and women. Don't want a quest to be like men so argue equality is dangerous

postmodern: gender roles forced on women by society. however, gender is not the only influence on identity: race and class converge and make experience of oppression different for different types of women.
postmodfems = equality feminists as diff experiences from diff women show how all are oppressed under patriarchy

core idea: the state
areas of agreement?

all feminists recognise that the state has the potential to serve a useful purpose for women to enhance their place in society
most feminists agree that - historically, currently or both, the state is complicit in women being subordinate to men

core idea: the state
areas of tension:

liberal feminism? (versus radical and socialist)
examples of legislation?

liberal feminism:
Wollstonecraft and Friedan: pointed out failure of the state to tackle the problem of discrimination of women so perpetuated women's subordinate role
- state is also source for ending this discrimination through formal equality (Harriet Taylor and Wollstonecraft advocated for)
- Perkins: state can guarantee access to education and thus financial independence
state can pass laws to ensure the equality of women:
- Civil Rights Act 1964 banning discrimination
- Equality Act 2010 gender justice in public sphere
Friedan: argued for more: affirmative action to tackle past injustices and promote equality

core idea: the state
areas of tension:

radical and socialist feminism? (versus liberal)

2nd and 3rd wave: laws and measure are useful but not enough to tackle the systemic oppression of women
Millett: state as part of the problem (promotes and sustains patriarchy)
Rowbotham: state serves patriarchy and capitalism in their oppression of women
- state could be used more effectively to prevent oppression of women. E.g. banning pornography as Millett associated with power, cruelty and dominance for the masculine and victimhood with the feminine
- Rowbotham: equal pay is a start but formal equality is not possible under capitalism. equal exploitation is not possible under capitalism given the division of labour in the workplace and home
- hooks: state as part of the interlocking system of imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy

core idea: society
areas of agreement?

society and societal attitudes have placed women in a subordinate role to men so they suffer injustices and institutionalised disadvantages.

core idea: society
areas of tension
most significant division?
equality/difference define?
cultural feminism?
separatist?

most significant division is between the difference and equality feminists within the radical feminist movement.
equality feminists: argue for sexual equality by freeing women from difference.
difference feminists: see men and women as biologically and physiologically different

some difference feminists argue for a cultural feminism based on a women-centric culture focused on female values. Either by discovering a lost feminine nature or by reformulating a new nature without reference to men

others argue for a form of separatist feminism: as the desire for men to dominate is part of their basic nature, so women need to formulate a society that is separate from to realise their true nature.

core idea: society
areas of tension?

liberal?
2nd and 3rd waves?

liberal:
- Wollstonecraft: women discriminated against bc society fails to accept full rationality of women
- Friedan: women discriminated against bc lack of education and access to world of work. 'Problem that has no name' dissatisfaction from not working
discrimination could be tackled through using the state to change the law to allow formal equality. This would eventually fully integrate women into society. Societal reform not revolution

2nd and 3rd waves:
- women's subordinate role is caused by discrimination and bias. It has deeper roots in patriarchy which covers both the public and private sphere. The personal is the political.
- solution for rad and postmod fems is revolution to overthrow patriarchy.
- solution for socialist feminists is social and economic revolution to create equality politically, sexually, familially, etc.

core idea: society
areas of tension

radical?
socialist?
postmodern?

radical:
- Millett: patriarchy is pervasive across all aspects of society with the patriarchal family unit as key body which reinforces subordination of women
- Beauvoir: women moulded into their gender roles to such a degree that they feel they are natural. They have become complicit in their own oppression by viewing themselves as the Other and man as the norm.

socialist: capitalism and patriarchy = interlinked systems of oppression that teach women to be feminine based on myths made by men. these myths make women subordinate in the home and workplace

postmodern:
- bell hooks: patriarchy as most damaging of all systems of oppression.
patriarchy socialises men to be dominators and women to see themselves as subordinate. Ending it will free women and remove the 'social disease'.

core idea: the economy
areas of agreement?

feminists agree that women are subordinate to men in the economic sphere in many ways, including the gender pay gap,
pay gap is a result of:
- women doing vast majority of reproductive labour, forcing them into temporary, part-time, low-paid work with fewer opportunities for promotion
- a divided labour market where women are more likely to be employed in professions typically seen as feminine, so are paid less
- most senior roles in firms being held by men
feminists agree that women should be economically independent.

core idea: the economy
areas of tension

Gilman?
Gilman, Wollstonecraft and Friedan?
Friedan?
Rowbotham?

- Gilman: dada the nature work work in modern industrial societies, bio differences were of no consequence
- Gilman, Wollstonecraft, Friedan: women should have access to work and hay que haber equality of opportunity in labour market
- Friedan: state has duty to intervene so there were no obstacles to women competing fairly in the job market
- Rowbotham: women = oppressed in capitalist market bc seen as cheap labour to discard in economic downturn. tmb Exploited in the home through unpaid reproductive labour
--> thus the overthrow of capitalism and patriarchy is necessary so that there is economic, intrafamilial and sexual equality

core idea: the economy
areas of tension

De Beauvoir?
bell hooks?
bell hooks?

De Beauvoir: patriarchy = main issue and socialist economic equality was part of the social revolution
- bell hooks: the systems of oppression oppressed women but differently between races and classes
- bell hooks: argued that Friedan failed to account for class and racial disparities when encouraging women to enter the labour market. Friedan failed to 'tell readers whether it was more fulfilling to be a maid, babysitter, factory worker, clerk or a prostitute than to be a leisure-class housewife.'

what are the 4 key debates within feminism?

- crossover between the public and private spheres
- difference vs equality
- reform or revolution
- is feminism a single doctrine?

key debate: public vs private
what type of feminism separates the private from the public sphere, and argues the state should have no intervention rights here?

liberal feminists see discrimination in the public sphere as subordinating women.
however, they do not wish to challenge the traditional family and marriage roles as the private sphere is seen as the realm of personal freedom where the state has no say

key debate: public vs private
which typeS of feminism sees the private sphere endorsing the subordination of women in the public sphere?
which type of feminism also rejects this public/private split and how do they see it merge?

radical feminists see the personal as the political - the family unit is the base of patriarchy and unequal relations in the home are fostered here over generations, entrenching gender roles

postmodern feminists also see the family as key patriarchal unit, passing on dominator values based on gender, race and class

Marxist feminists reject public/private split and see sexual inequality rooted in the public sphere of the economy and spreading into the home and family unit

key debate: difference vs equality
what do all main strands subscribe to the idea of?
what do all strands also agree there is a distinction between?

all strands subscribe to androgyny and the idea that a person is difference-blind.
also agree that there is distinction between sex and gender and that gender is a socially constructed idea that is conditioned from both to internalise.

key debate: difference vs equality
which strand disagrees and rejects androgyny? why?
what does this belief lead them to do?
what minor strand believes what should thus happen?

difference feminism (strand of radical) reject androgyny for the belief that there are clear, biological differences between men and women.
bc biology matters, women should reject gender equality (and not aim to be like men) but instead create their own definition of feminism

separatist feminism argues that male oppression and dominance are rooted in the male essence so women cannot live in this androcentric society

key debate: reform or revolution
what strand of feminism believes in social change through piecemeal reforms?
how do they believe this would happen?
how is this rooted in individualism?

liberal feminism
rooted in individualism and formal equality for all.
making social reform recognise the humanity of women and give equal access for all to the public realm by making the rules fair.
this allows the individual to follow their version of the good life.

key debate: reform or revolution
what strand of feminism sees the only realistic way to give equality to all is through revolution?
what strand of feminism sees oppression rooted in gender, class and race and how would the revolution happen thus?
which strand of feminism argues the revolution must free everyone from capitalism?

radical feminism: oppression rooted in patriarchy. The collective identity of the oppressed can be used to advance the cultural, sexual, social revolution.

postmodern feminism: revolution must tackle interlocking systems of oppression (class, gender and race) through a approach that allows solidarity across the unique experiences of each group

socialist feminism: collective action to form a economic/social/sexual revolution to liberate everyone from capitalism

key debate: is feminism a single doctrine?
why do people ask this question?
what are the main areas that different strands disagree over?

beyond the fundamental beliefs that: 1) women have a subordinate role in all areas of life and suffer systemic discrimination and 2) political action should be taken to change this
there is limited agreement between the strands.

clashes:
- reform/revolution?
- root of oppression?
- key to liberation?
- the extent to which women should be freed?

what do each strand believe about how they should go about making change?
liberal?
radical?
socialist?
postmodern?

liberal: reformist
radical: social and sexual revolution
socialist: socialist revolution alongside a social/sexual revolution
postmodern: revolution to overthrow interlocking systems of oppression

what do each strand believe about where is the root of oppression and where/who it affects?
liberal?
radical?
socialist?
postmodern?

liberal: discrimination in the public sphere can be challenged legally. increasing the role of women in public sphere will whittle away prejudice.

radical: patriarchy is oldest, most damaging form of oppression as it is ingrained into human consciousness

socialist: patriarchy and capitalism work to oppress women by festering inequality in workplace and home

postmodern: imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy promotes injustice, exploitation and oppression that affects different groups differently.

what do each strand believe about what will liberate women
liberal?
radical?
socialist?
postmodern?

liberal: formal and economic equality will liberate women as individuals
radical: root and branch removal of patriarchy is needed to create sexual equality
socialist: removal of capitalism, private property and patriarchal family unit
postmodern: recognition of different identities and encouraging solidarity across groups will challenge the oppressive systems collectively.

what do each strand believe about what is needed to be ABSENT in order for women to be free?
liberal?
radical?
socialist?
postmodern?

liberal: women should be free from unfair disadvantage in the public sphere in order to pursue their own version of the good life in their private lives

radical: radical transformation is needed in all spheres of life to allow true freedom (e.g. no limits on reproduction, sexuality, economy, etc.)

socialist: women cannot be free unless they achieve freedom from economic exploitation and patriarchy

postmodern: cannot be free if the interlocking systems of oppression still exist.