Feminism

• Triple Shift - Duncombe and Marsden

  Domestic labour, emotional work in family, look after children > family is oppressive to women

  Gender socialisation of girls into stereotypical roles
• Firestone

  All societies are founded on patriarchy, see men as oppressors and exploiters of women

  Advocate for abolish of traditional patriarchal, nuclear family and est. of alt family structures, e.g matrifocal households
• Overall criticisms of Feminism

  Radical criticize liberals for not recognizing it's more than institutions that are patriarchal

  Undermine choice of some women to adopt trad. values

  Intersectionality of women's experiences = focus on white middle class women, ignore differences of women in minority
• Nuclear family traditionally performed two functions that oppress women:

  1. Socialising girls to accept subservient roles within the family > passive, won't challenge
  2. Socialising women into accepting the "housewife" role as normal > limits women to domestic sphere > need to be financially dependent on men
• Marxist feminists

  Women's oppression is due to capitalism and serves functions for capitalism:

  1. Reproduce labour force = women do childcare in nuclear family > socialising children to accept authority of parents and obedient to hierarchal authority > what capitalist economy needs
  2. Absorb anger = women absorb anger of proletariat preventing anger being directed to bourgeoise > prevents revolution to capitalism
  3. Reserved army of cheap labour = women take on instrumental role > bourgeoisie could take on female workers in emergencies
• Feminists

  • Patriarchal society = society is made for men by men
  • Gender is socially constructed > socialized into appropriate roles of the family > women are oppressed
• Liberal feminists

  • Mainstream working culture requires long, inflexible working hours based on the breadwinner
  • Men refuse to pull their weight in relationships > women take on burden of childcare and housework
  • Encouraging employment - Sex Discrimination Act
  • Marital rights - Divorce Reform
• Liberal feminist, Somerville

  Many women overlook progress of feminism such as freedom in work and family choices like divorce

  • dual-earner households has improved gender equality > men fail to share domestic responsibilities > resentment
  • some women might do without male partners due to inadequacy
• Radical feminists

  Marriage is an unequal institution based on patriarchy as men financially and physically abuse women to control them
• Liberal feminist evaluation

  • Ethnocentric view = reflects experiences of white, m/c women
  • Radical feminists argue there's a failure to deal with patriarchal structures and culture in contemporary family life
• Marxist feminist, Ansley

  Believes women suffer from capitalism due to being takers of shit = absorb husbands frustration at powerlessness in capitalist society

  • women act as a safety valve to ensure capitalism continues > bourgeoise remain powerful
• Marxist feminist, evaluation

  • Outdated = women today are just as likely to be paid in work as men, no longer need to act as "reserve army of labour"
  • Women's oppression was evident before capitalism = oppressed in household
  • Correlation between capitalist development and women's liberation = more freedom in employment
• Radical feminist, evaluation

  • Less relevant today = women less likely to suffer dual burden
  • Still relevant = women still face abuse in public and private spheres
• Radical feminist, Purdy

  Women tend to be disadvantaged due to child care responsibilities rather than material disadvantages
• Economy of emotion

  Women do emotional work, heavily weighted on women