The Essential Guide to Difference Feminism

The Essential Guide to Difference Feminism

* These notes are specifically written for the AQA Sociology A-Level exam, but of course can be relevant to all sorts of other examinations and subjects. These are purposely written to be highly concise, thus if you have any questions - don't be afraid to leave a comment and I'll try and help you out.

Overview of Difference Feminism

Different groups in society (asians, lesbains, w/c, blacks) have very different experiences of the family and of patriarchy within it. For example, black feminists see the family as a place of support and resistance from a racist society.

REJECT notion of universal sisterhood.

Bell-Hooks:

Feminism is guilty of false universality. The idea that there is a 'unified' form of gender oppression is problematic.

Difference Feminism + Slavery

Patricia Hill-Collins: Slavery has hugely impacted Afro-Carribean families. Men were often seperated.

--> Culture developed of female LPFs (matrifocal households)

"The Anti-Social Feminism"

Michele Barrett + Mary McIntosh --> Family becomes anti-social as they focus less on the outside world and tend to socialise w/ other couples (excluding singles).

==> Makes outside world seem shallow and lacking in meaning. 

This decreases the ability for wider support networks to develop.

Family Diversity .// Lesbianism

Chesire Calhoun --> 

Family life does not equal the exploitation of women.

Whereas Heterosexual family life = exploitation

Therefore lesbian marriage helps to avoid exploitative relationships.

Anxiety amongst heterosexuals about gays/lesbians has been caused by anxiety about the state of the NF.They have tried to attribute their problem to corrupting outsiders.

2 Criticisms of Difference Feminism

1. Walby: Fail to recognise all women share a common oppression despite their differences.
2. Overemphasising women's differences divides and weakens them as a group. 

2 Key Difference Feminist Solution

1. Challenge NF as main form of family + celebrate diversity.
2. Understand role slavery & other forms of social disdvantage play in family life.

The Essential Guide to Marxist Feminism

The Essential Guide to Marxist Feminism

* These notes are specifically written for the AQA Sociology A-Level exam, but of course can be relevant to all sorts of other examinations and subjects. These are purposely written to be highly concise, thus if you have any questions - don't be afraid to leave a comment and I'll try and help you out.

The 6 Key Principles to Marxist Feminism

1. Women's subordination is rooted in capitalism.
2. Women's unpaid domestic role makes them financially dependent on men
3. Excludes women from the workforce + encourages them to consume.
4. Women act as a reserve army of labour.
5. Reproduce the workforce.
6. Ansley: Takers of Shit

3 Key Marxist Feminists

1. Michele Barrett - Ideology of Feminism
2. Fran Ansley - Takers of Shit
3. Magarter Benston - Slaves of the Wage Slaves

Ideology of Familism

Michele Barrett --> Ideology of familism ensures women collude in their oppression. The "cereal packet family" and it's division of labour seem normal.

Women believe they can only find fulfillment through family and motherhood.

Takers of Shit

Fran Ansley --> Women absorb anger that would be aimed at capitalist bosses. 'Takers of Shit' from alienated and frustrated workers.

==> Stops them from taking it out on their bosses.

This is why the state ignored domestic violence for so long.

Reserve Army of Labour

Women are brought into the labour market during economic boom & are first to be sacked in recessions to return to the role of housewife.

This is still seen today... women are more likely to have temporary contracts & were the biggest causalities in recession.

Slaves of the Wage Slaves

Magaret Benston --> Women look after (satisfy physical, emotional and sexual needs) of men (who are the wage slaves / work for) capitalist bosses.

4 Criticisms of Marxist Feminism

1. May have lost validity as the number of women working has gone up. But nonetheless they lost out most during recent recession.
2. Why are women subordinated in non-capitalist societies?
3. Radical Feminists: Men benefit more from patriarchy than capitalism.
4. Hartmann: Marxist Feminists are sex blind. Why is it women not men who do housework?

2 Key Marxist Feminist Solutions

1. Overthrow capitalism with a socialist revolution.
2. Barrett: Overthrow the ideology of capitalism.

The Essential Guide to Radical Feminism

The Essential Guide to Radical Feminism

* These notes are specifically written for the AQA Sociology A-Level exam, but of course can be relevant to all sorts of other examinations and subjects. These are purposely written to be highly concise, thus if you have any questions - don't be afraid to leave a comment and I'll try and help you out.

The 6 Key Principles to Radical Feminism

1. Men are responsible for and benefit from women's exploitation.
2. Patriarchy is a universal phenomenon.
3. Men exploit women by relying on their free domestic labour.
4. Patriarchy controls women's bodies and sexuality.
5. Violence against women is central to male supremacy.
6. The personal is political.

Susan Brownmiller:

Male violence against women is central to male supremacy and systematic oppression. 

Male violence / the threat of it controls all women.

Shulasmith Firestone:

Women's biological ability to give birth creates dependency on men.

--> This biological ability yo give birth and dependence is entrenched in the nuclear family.

THEREFORE the only way women can be emancipated is through the abolition of the nuclear family.

Political Lesbianism?

Political lesbianism is the idea that being with a man is sleeping with the enemy.

Heterosexual relationships are inherently unequal (whilst lesbian ones are not) and therefore women should live with other women. 

& create a political movement to challenge male dominance.

GREER: women will always suffer from male power if they live in the same household. Therefore they must live separately in 'matrilocal' households. And only interact with men if in neutral public settings.

How do other Feminists criticise Greer?

Dual Feminist, Sylvia Walby --> matrilocal households and only interacting in neutral settings won't work as patriarchy is moving to the public sphere.

4 Ways that Radical Feminists are Consciousness Raising:

1. Led campaigns to highlight male domestic violence in society.
2. Helped to pressurize parliament and the police to take domestic violence seriously.
3. Leading campaigns against forced marriages and honour killings.
4. Set up shelters to provide refuge for abused women.

4 Criticisms of Radical Feminism

1. Universal conception of patriarchy cannot explain cultural variations in the family.
2. Difference Feminists: Rad Fems ignore the influences of PAGES on a women's experience.
3. Lib Fems: Somerville says that their solutions are too radical, for women want to live with men. Moreover, lib fems say their ideas are outdated and women;s position has actually improved. There are now more equal roles.
4. Neglects to explain women violence vs men, children + women.

3 Radical Feminist Key Solutions

1. Separatism
2. Consciousness Raising
3. Political Lesbianism

The Essential Guide to Liberal Feminism

The Essential Guide to Liberal Feminism

* These notes are specifically written for the AQA Sociology A-Level exam, but of course can be relevant to all sorts of other examinations and subjects. These are purposely written to be highly concise, thus if you have any questions - don't be afraid to leave a comment and I'll try and help you out.

The 2 Key Principles to Liberal Feminism

1. Draws attention to the individual factors that contribute to gender inequality.
2. Aims to establish and protect equal opportunities for women through legislation and enshrining equality in law.

What does Anne Oakley argue?

She draws a distinction between SEX (a biological characteristic) and GENDER (a social construct).

Modern society is based around extreme GENDER differences.

3 Key Liberal Feminist Successes

1. 1970 Equal Pay Act
2. 1975 Sex Discrimination Act
3. Equal Opportunities Commission

==> These have resulted in men's attitudes slowly changing. As seen by more women working, and more men taking on domestic tasks and chores.

3 Examples of Society moving towards Equality

1. Changes in socialisation + culture start to reduce gender divisions in the family. RISE OF THE NEW MAN.
2. More parents are careful to avoid socialising their children into rigid gender roles.
3. BUT Further legal measures may be required to reach full equality.

What do Liberal Feminists think of Willmott + Young?

Willmott + Young believe that families are becoming more symmetrical (i.e. roles becoming more equal), and they will continue to become fairer until we reach equality.

Liberal Feminists share the view that families are slowly improving for the better; BUT they reject that we have reached symmetry. 

4 Criticisms of Liberal Feminism

1. Over-optimistic. Women still do majority of housework.
2. Does not acknowledge the systematic oppression of women. Domestic Violence is still common.
3. Radical Feminists: Law changes are purely cosmetic. Serious underlying inequalities remain.
4. Encourages women to accept an unequal society.