radical feminism

A01

• Radical feminism emerged in the early 19____.

• Its key concept surrounds p____. Literally, this means 'rule by f____', but it has come to mean a s____ in which m____ d____ women.

A01

• Radical feminism emerged in the early 1970s.

• Its key concept surrounds patriarchy. Literally, this means 'rule by fathers', but it has come to mean a society in which men dominate women.

A01

Radical feminists make the following claims:

1) Patriarchy is u____

• m____ d____ of women e____ in all k____ societies.

• According to F____ (1974), the origins of patriarchy lie where?

2)Patriarchy is the p____ and most f____ form of i_____ and c____.

• The key d____ is between men and women. Men are women's main e____.

3)All men o____ all women.

• All men b_____ from patriarchy - especially from women's u____ d____ l____ and from their s____ s____.

A01

Radical feminists make the following claims:

1) Patriarchy is universal

• male domination of women exists in all known societies.

• According to Firestone (1974), the origins of patriarchy lie in women's biological capacity to bear and care for infants, since performing this role means they become dependent on males.

2)Patriarchy is the primary and most fundamental form of inequality and conflict.

• The key division is between men and women. Men are women's main enemy.

3)All men oppress all women.

• All men benefit from patriarchy - especially from women's unpaid domestic labour and from their sexual services.

A02 Beliefs - The personal is political

• For radical feminists, patriarchal oppression is d____ and p____. It occurs not only in the p____ s____ of w____ and p____, but also in the p____ s_____ of the f____, d____ l____ and s____ r____.

• Radical feminists see the personal as political. - what does this mean?

• Personal relationships are therefore political - how? Radical feminists refer to these power relationships as s____ p____.

• Radical feminists therefore focus on the w____ in which patriarchal power is e____ through personal relationships, often through s____ or p____ v____ or the t____ of it. This has the effect of c____ all women,

A02 Beliefs - The personal is political

• For radical feminists, patriarchal oppression is direct and personal. It occurs not only in the public sphere of work and politics, but also in the private sphere of the family, domestic labour and sexual relationships.

• Radical feminists see the personal as political. All relationships involve power and they are political when one person dominates another.

• Personal relationships are therefore political because men dominate women through them. Radical feminists refer to these power relationships as sexual politics.

• Radical feminists therefore focus on the ways in which patriarchal power is exercised through personal relationships, often through sexual or physical violence or the threat of it. This has the effect of controlling all women,

A02 Beliefs - Sexuality

• Radical feminism also sheds n____ l____ on the nature of s____.

• M____ sociology has tended to regard sexuality as a n____ b____ u____ - and therefore o___ the s___ of sociology.

• By contrast, radical feminists argue sexuality is s____ c___ by patriarchy and men who are in power to serve m___ interests.

• For example, women are portrayed in pornography how?

• Similarly, R____ (1981) argues that men continue to force women into a n____ and u____ 'c_____ h____

A02 Beliefs - Sexuality

• Radical feminism also sheds new light on the nature of sexuality.

• Malestream sociology has tended to regard sexuality as a natural biological urge - and therefore outside the scope of sociology.

• By contrast, radical feminists argue sexuality is socially constructed by patriarchy and men who are in power to serve male interests.

• For example, women are portrayed in pornography as passive sex objects and penetration as the main source of sexual pleasure.

• Similarly, Rich (1981) argues that men continue to force women into a narrow and unsatisfying 'compulsory heterosexuality'.

A03A: Change

• Given that patriarchy and women's oppression are reproduced through personal and sexual relationships, these must be t_____ if women are to be free.

• Radical feminists have proposed a number of solutions or strategies to achieve this. These include what 3 things?

A03A: Change

• Given that patriarchy and women's oppression are reproduced through personal and sexual relationships, these must be transformed if women are to be free.

• Radical feminists have proposed a number of solutions or strategies to achieve this. These include:

1. separatism

2. consciousness-raising

3. political lesbianism

A03A: Change → Separatism

• Given that men's oppression of women is exercised through i____ d____ and s____ r____, some radical feminists advocate separatism - that is, living apart from men and thereby creating a new c_____ of female i_____, free from p____.

• For example, G_____ Greer (2000) argues for the creation of a___-f____ or 'm____' households as an alternative to the h____ family.

A03A: Change → Separatism

• Given that men's oppression of women is exercised through intimate domestic and sexual relationships, some radical feminists advocate separatism - that is, living apart from men and thereby creating a new culture of female independence, free from patriarchy.

• For example, Germaine Greer (2000) argues for the creation of all-female or 'matrilocal' households as an alternative to the heterosexual family.

A03A: Change → Consciousness-raising

• Through sharing their experiences in w____-o____ c____-r_____ groups, women come to see that other women face the s____ p____.

• This may lead to collective action, such as 'S___W___' and 'R____ T____ S___' marches.

A03A: Change → Consciousness-raising

• Through sharing their experiences in women-only consciousnesss-raising groups, women come to see that other women face the same problems.

• This may lead to collective action, such as 'SlutWalk' and 'Reclaim These Streets' marches.

A03A: Change → Political lesbianism

• Many radical feminists argue that h____ relationships are inevitably o____ because they involve 's____ with the e____' and that l____ is the only n___-o____ form of sexuality.

• If women a____ r____ with men, they escape m___ d____ and stop r____ patriarchy

A03A: Change → Political lesbianism

• Many radical feminists argue that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive because they involve 'sleeping with the enemy' and that lesbianism is the only non-oppressive form of sexuality.

• If women avoid relationships with men, they escape male dominance and stop reinforcing patriarchy

AO3E Evaluation of radical feminism → ✓Strengths

✓- Radical feminists' idea that the personal is political reveals how i___ r____ can involve d____.

• They draw attention to the political dimension of areas such as m____, d_____ l____, d____ v____, r___ and p____.

AO3E Evaluation of radical feminism → ✓Strengths

✓- Radical feminists' idea that the personal is political reveals how intimate relationships can involve domination.

• They draw attention to the political dimension of areas such as marriage, domestic labour, domestic violence, rape and pornography.

AO3E Evaluation of radical feminism →✘limitations

✘- Marxists assert that c____, not p_____, is the primary form of i____.

• They also argue that c_____ is the main cause and b____ of women’s o____, and not men, as radical feminism claims.

✘- Radical feminism offers no explanation of why female subordination takes different f____ in different s_____ and ignores c_____ and ethnic differences between w____.

• For example, women’s subordination in S_____ A____ may involve legal restrictions on f____, whereas in the UK it is more likely to involve inequalities such as the g____ p____ g____

• This critiques radical feminism which often argue patriarchy is u_____ and works in the same way e____

✘- P____ (1996) argues that radical feminism’s concept of patriarchy is weak because it relies on circular reasoning - what does this mean?

✘- Radical feminism has an inadequate theory of how patriarchy will be a____.

• Critics argue that vague u_____ notions of s___ are unlikely to be achievable.

• S_____ (2000) argues that h_____ a_____ makes it unlikely that the n____ f____ will be replaced by s____-s____ households.

• Also. radical feminism neglects w____ violence against m___ and violence within l____ relationships.

✘-Patriarchy may already be in d___.

• Ll____ feminists argue that women’s position has i____ greatly in recent years as a result of s___ r____ and c____ a____. Better e____ and job j____ mean that gender e____ is beginning to become a r___.

AO3E Evaluation of radical feminism →✘limitations

✘- Marxists assert that class, not patriarchy, is the primary form of inequality.

• They also argue that capitalism is the main cause and beneficiary of women’s oppression, and not men, as radical feminism claims.

✘- Radical feminism offers no explanation of why female subordination takes different forms in different societies.

✘- Similarly, it assumes all women are in the same position and ignores class and ethnic differences between women.

• A middle-class woman may have more in common with a middle-class man than with a working-class woman.

✘- Pollert (1996) argues that radical feminism’s concept of patriarchy is weak because it relies on circular reasoning

• it uses using patriarchy to explain male dominance while also claiming male dominance maintains patriarchy.

✘- Radical feminism has an inadequate theory of how patriarchy will be abolished.

• Critics argue that vague utopian notions of separatism are unlikely to be achievable.

• Somerville (2000) argues that heterosexual attraction makes it unlikely that the nuclear family will be replaced by single-sex households.

• Also. radical feminism neglects women’s violence against men and violence within lesbian relationships.

✘-Patriarchy may already be in decline.

• Liberal feminists argue that women’s position has improved greatly in recent years as a result of social reforms and changing attitudes. Better education and job opportunities mean that gender equality is beginning to become a reality.