Feminism

What is the general feminist view of the family?

Feminists are critical of the family as a social institution. They believe that the family is a tool of female oppression and in particular the nuclear family serves the needs of men rather than women. This is through issues such as unequal division of domestic labour. They believe that gender inequality is a social construction and not a natural phenomena

What is triple shift?

Refers to the three roles that women are expected to perform for the family

1. Emotional support

2. Domestic labour

3. Paid work

What is dual burden?

Refers to the two traditional roles that women are expected to play in the family

1. Emotional support Domestic labour

2. Domestic labour

Define ‘patriarchy’

Refers to the way that men dominate women in most areas of society

What is malesteam sociology?

Refers to the way that sociologists will apply research data collected about men to the lives of women despite different experiences

What do liberal feminists think of the family?

Families are slowly becoming more equal through changes in law and social attitudes. They do not believe that full equality has been achieved but the process is well underway. Eg they show how parents are now socialising their children in more gender neutral ways, with similar aspirations for both sons and daughters and chores not being determined by gender (pink and blue jobs)

What do radical feminists think of the family?

Radical feminists believe that men are the enemy and marriage and family are the key institutions which allow patriarchy to exist. For radical feminists in order for equality to be achieved patriarchy needs to be overturned. They argue that the family needs abolished and a system of separatism needs to be instituted for this to happen

Radical feminism → What is political lesbianism?

Advocated by some radical feminists as a political strategy rather than just a sexual preference. Heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive because they are shaped by male dominance and power. Women should form emotional and sexual relationships with other women to escape patriarchy

Radical feminism → What does Greer say about matrilocal households?

Greer suggests matrilocal households (where women live together without men) as an alternative to the traditional family. These are all female households where women share parenting and domestic responsibilities. The goal is to create safe, cooperative supportive spaces free from male control and violence

How do marxist feminists see the family?

Marxist feminists see the family as a tool of capitalism and that it is capitalism not men who oppress women

What are the 3 ways marxist feminists see the family as oppressing women and supporting capitalism?

1. Women reproduce the workforce and socialise them into social hierarchy

2. Women absorb the anger of men who are frustrated by their alienation and exploitation

3. Women are a reserve army of cheap labour that can be activated when they are needed and let go when no longer needed eg WWII

Fran Ansley - “Women are the takers of shit”

Women absorb the anger and frustration that husbands feel from being exploited at work. Instead of men directing their anger at the capitalist system, they often take it out on their wives through domestic conflict or violence. This helps capitalism survive by keeping the working man functioning and reducing the risk of rebellion

How do intersectional feminists view the family?

States that other feminist beliefs focus on the experience of women in a nuclear family however not all families are nuclear. Just as not all women will have the same experience of family life. Eg a black woman may find her family provide refuge from societal racism rather than it being a place of oppression or negativity

Eval - Liberal feminism

• Overstates the amount of progress that has been made. Women still have the triple shift

• Marxist and radical feminists also argue that liberal feminists fail to challenge the underlying causes of women’s oppression and changing the law is not enough to bring about equality, there needs to be a fundamental change in social structures

How do liberal feminists want to fix inequality in the family?

1. Legal and policy changes: laws promoting equal rights (eg Equal Pay Act, shared parental leave) and anti discrimination policies in work and family life help balance power between men and women

2. Improving education: teaching gender inequality in schools can challenge sexist stereotypes from a young age

3. Encouraging equal roles at home: promoting shared housework and childcare between men and women. Normalising dual-earner and joint-caregiver families

4. Role models and media influence: media representation of working women, stay at home dads and same sex parents reshape traditional ideas of gender and family roles

Eval - Sommerville and radical feminism..

Argues that radical feminists fail to see the improvements that have been made to women’s experiences of the family. With better access to divorce and control over their fertility women are no longer trapped by family. She also argues that separatism us unobtainable due to heterosexual attraction

How do radical feminists want to fix inequality in the family?

Equality can only be achieved by completely changing the structure of the family. Such as political lesbianism, matrilocal households, separatism etc

What is separatism? (Radical feminism)

Separatism is the idea that women should live separately from men as a way to escape male domination and patriarchy

Eval - Marxist feminism

Women are no longer a reserve labour force as they have equal rights at work and are as likely as men to be the main breadwinner in the family

How do marxist feminists want to fix inequality in the family?

The family benefits both patriarchy and the capitalist system, so true gender inequality can only happen by overthrowing capitalism through a revolution

Eval - Intersectional feminism

Neglects the fact that many women do share the same experiences of family regardless of ethnicity or social class. Eg they all face a risk of domestic violence and low pay

How do intersectional feminists want to fix inequality in the family?

Experiences of inequality in the family cannot be understood by looking at gender alone. Instead gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, migration status and other identities intersect to shape how power and oppression play out in family life. Inequality can be fixed through intersectional policy design and community led support networks

What are intersectional policy designs?

Family policies (eg parental leave, childcare, housing support) that recognise peoples multiple, overlapping needs. Eg a migrant single mother of colour may need language accessible services plus affordable childcare and protection from radicalised policing of her parenting

What are community-led support networks?

Networks that offer culturally sensitive advice, legal help, childcare cooperatives and safe spaces eg women of colour collectives and queer parenting networks