Feminism

• What do feminists believe the main role of the family is ?

  To oppress women
• What is Oakley's 'Myth of the Symmetrical Family' ?

  Housework remains primarily the role of women
• Feminists argue it is still mainly women who....

  - Most Housework & Childcare

  - Make sacrifices to buy children clothes and make sure they're fed

  - Less likely to make important decisions in the family

  - Most likely to give up paid work in order to look after children

  - Victims of domestic abuse
• What do Liberal Feminists argue about the family?

  - Women take on major responsibilities for housework and childcare

  
  

  - Best way to improve women's position in the family is through changing of legislation and social norms

  
  

  (changing socialisation/parenting practices, equal pay act 1970, sex discrimination act 1975)
• What does Marxist Feminists argue about the family ?

  - Women's oppression in the family is mainly caused by capitalism

  
  

  - Women's oppression performs several functions for capitalism (reproducing labour force , reserve army for cheap labour, women absorb anger)
• What does Fran Ansley argue?

  Fran Ansley (1972)

  Housewives carry out 2 Functions

  
  

  1. Provide care for current and future workers

  2. Cheap labour reserve- 'only when really needed'/last resort

  
  

  + the emotional support that wives provide help support the husbands stress & frustration from work within a capitalist system "women are the shit takers"
• What does Margaret Benson argue ?

  Margaret Benson (1972)

  
  

  The amount of unpaid labour performed by women is very large and profitable to those who own the mean of production
• What does Hochschild argue?

  Hochschild (1989)

  
  

  Women have a dual burden- working in paid employment + work at home
• What does Duncombe & Marsden argue?

  Duncombe & Marsden (1995)

  
  

  Long term relationships are more often held together by women, as they put in the emotional work
• What does Dobash & Dobash argue?

  Dobash & Dobash (1995)

  
  

  Marriage and the nuclear family are the main sources of female oppression

  "Domestic violence is inevitable" because the family preserves the power men have over women (Financial power, women being controlled and confined to housework)
• What do Radical Feminists argue about the family ?


  They see the exploitation of women as being a result of a male dominated society i.e. family is patriarchal
• What does Delphy & Leonard argue ?

  Delphy & Leonard (1992)

  
  

  Families role = Maintain Patriarchy

  Family is an economic system where men benefit at the expense of women
• What does Andrea Dwarkin argue ?

  Andrea Dwarkin

  
  

  "Under a patriarchal family, every daughter is a victim (past, present or future) and every woman's son is her potential betrayer and is the inevitable rapist or exploiter of another woman"
• How do sociologists criticise Liberal Feminists?

  'They don't go far enough': legal changes don't help everyone, ignores economic inequality
• How do sociologists criticise Marxist & Radical feminists ?

  - Ignore family diversity (some families have dual earners)

  
  

  - Ignores autonomy of women: assumes women are passive victims, some like being a housewife

  
  

  - Women can escape oppressive relationships: around 3/4 of divorces are initiated by women