Feminist Family Theory

Defining Feminism

“the search for rights, opportunities, and identities women women believe they deserve”

reflects on idea of traditional nuclear family; uses a feminist lens to understand family structure, function, and interactions

Variations in Feminism 60’s-70’s: Liberal feminists

equal rights and respect in particular related to career, education, and role in society; stressed the importance of challenging laws and customs restricting ability to achieve sig. roles in society

Variations in Feminism 60’s-70’s: Marxist feminists

focused on the exploitation of women for their reproductive roles and cheap labor including household chores, employment; as long as women are solely responsible for the reproduction of children, this oppression will exist

Variations in Feminism 60’s-70’s: Radical feminists

fought all relationships based on patriarchy (men in power); should not be limited by masculine/feminine traits--families source of patriarchy and oppression of women could not be reformed and should be avoided

Variations in Feminism 60’s-70’s: Social feminists

focused on women’s liberation from the combines aspects of class oppression and patriarchy, particularly as found in families

Variations in Feminism 60’s-70’s: Cultural feminists

focus on brining respect and value to women’s roles rather than discriminating against those traits seen as masculine; we should acknowledge and celebrate differences between men and women to bring equality to those feminine traits that are at present undervaluedr

History of Feminism: Wave 1

* late 1800’s-early 1900s
* rights and equality (education, employment, and politics)
* Susan B. Anthony and gaining right to vote--suffragists separated bc of main focus
* 1930’s Margaret Mead: suggested gender is socially constructed rather than biologically driven; behavior is masculine/feminine determined by culture

History of Feminism: Wave 2

* late 60’s-early 70’s
* equality; liberation
* National Organization of Women (NOW)
* worked toward resolution of equal pay and job training, reproductive choice, maternity leave, subsidized childcare, and end to sex discrimination
* variations in feminism

History of Feminism: Wave 3

* 90’s-present
* intersectional nature of family life experience
* combine societal and the individual perspectives of oppression
* focuses on multiple forms of oppression that is experienced on an individual basis as a result of societal oppression (oppression based on gender, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or physical ability)
* ex. although all women experience relatively less status than men, white women experience relatively more status than women of color etc.

Basic Assumptions: women’s experiences are central to our understanding of families

what is the perspective of families from a woman’s point of view; focus on women’s perspectives and feelings, how women have been left out of the social and historical dialogue, and how women’s issues have been ignored

Basic Assumptions: Gender is socially constructed concept

social meanings of masculinity and femininity that are produced through social processes and interactions that produce ‘men’ and ‘women’; not biology

Basic Assumptions: Social and historical contexts are important

to understand women and families, we must understand the contexts in which they live--as they define women’s roles in families, feminist family theorists look for meaning in both the sociological and the historical contexts

Basic Assumptions: There are many family forms

diversity in families; the traditional view of the nuclear family is inadequate description today ex. economic forces, divorce, single parents, multiethnic etc.

Basic Assumptions: Emphasis placed on social change

feminist praxis (refers to the feminists’ struggle to put their beliefs into action); goal is to challenge the status quo and empower the disenfranchised or those with less power

ex. advocate examining diverse family forms, challenging sexism, and quationing aspects of society that act against women/children such as homophobia and male violence, so we can bring an acceptance of difference and diversity to human interactions

Basic Assumptions: There is no objective, unbiased observation of humans

observations are influenced by social realities--this is implied by the personal-is-political slogan (what happens to women has political and social impact);

Terms and concepts: Sex

biological assignment as genetically defined-male/female

Terms and concepts: Gender

social meanings and behaviors assigned to sex; particularly with regard to roles and behaviors expected of someone bc of sex

ex. give trucks to boys and dolls to girls

Terms and concepts: Categorization

applying labels to behaviors and roles based on sex

ex. aggression, trucks, strong, blue = boys, nice, ballet, soft, pink = girls

Terms and concepts: Stratification

value placed on categories e.g. better to be kind or aggressive; assigning social value to categories ranks those categories within the social context

ex. is it better to be nice or aggressive? in preschool kids its better to be nice and girls may be treated more positively than boys--social context of a Fortune 500 company it’s better to be aggressive, so woman who has been socialized to be only nice and never encouraged to learn any assertive skills probably will not be hired as chief executive no matter their experience/education

Terms and concepts: Privilege

refers to social status given to one with more power and value in society; feminists asking who does not have the power and ensure those oppressed now included

Terms and concepts: Social deconstruction

bringing everyone to conversation about gender expectations and behaviors; first step in analysis of how views of reality are constructed by social interactions, how gendered meanings are developed

values and reflections--recognition that reality is socially created; consideration of privilege of sec, class, race, nationality, sexuality, ethnicity, and ability

Terms and concepts: Social Discourse

brings the analysis of social deconstruction into the “conversation” of gender expectations and behaviors and is studied and analyzed; second step in analysis; challenges us to question how we focus our questions and how we analyze the data

language and symbols--heightened awareness that our language and symbols mirror the privilege and inequities; reordering the categorizations and thereby the ways in which we interact

Terms and concepts: Praxis

step after analysis to put beliefs and values into action; includes advocacy for women, inclusiveness in language and behavior, and reflecting on one’s own behavior with intention

actions and behaviors--acting on beliefs; realize social change by working to modify existing gender and societal relations

Common Areas of Research and Application

family violence, equality in families, and family roles and responsibilities

Article analysis: Chinese immigrant mothers negotiating family and career: Intersectionality and the role of social support

* Focus on intersection of immigration status, gender, and ethnicity for Chinese women as related to career and family roles
* used grounded-theory approach to interview and then analyze responses
* findings:
* employment difficult
* childcare expensive and difficult to find
* lack of support without extended family