SECTION 3: Feminist Perspectives (The Gender Conflict View)

Feminists argue that the family is a site of Patriarchy (male dominance).

1. Liberal Feminism (Ann Oakley)

• Focus: Legal and social changes.

• View: They believe we are moving toward equality. They point to the Equal Pay Act and changes in the division of labour (men doing more housework).

• Evaluation: Radical feminists argue they are too optimistic and that deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes still exist.

2. Marxist Feminism (Ansley / Beechey)

• Focus: How women are exploited by both Capitalism AND Patriarchy.

• Key Concepts:

  • "Reserve Army of Labour": Women are moved into the workforce during wars/booms and pushed back into the home during recessions.

  • "Ansley": Women are the "takers of shit." They soak up the frustration their husbands feel at work (domestic violence is seen as a result of capitalist stress).

3. Radical Feminism (Delphy & Leonard / Greer)

• Focus: Men are the enemy.

• View: The family is the primary source of women's oppression. Men benefit from women's unpaid domestic labour and sexual services.

• Solutions: They often advocate for "Political Lesbianism" or "Separatism" (women living independently from men).

4. Difference Feminism

• Focus: We cannot generalise.

• View: A black woman may see the family as a refuge from a racist society, whereas a white woman may see the same family structure as purely oppressive.