feminism

• Feminism


  • Structural conflict theory which examines the many differences between genders in society
  • Feminists argue that society is organised to serve the (patriarchal) needs of men
  • There are different types of feminists who believe in different things
• Patriarchy


  Systematic domination of women by men in some or all of society's institutions
• Mary Wollstonecraft, The Vindication of the Rights of Women


  1792
• First wave feminism


  1. Mid-late 19th century - 1920s

  2. Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragette Movement

  3. 1928: All women over 21 received the same voting rights as men
• Second wave feminism


  1. Mid 20th Century (1960s-1980s)

  2. 'The personal is the political'

  3. Equal pay/equal opportunities

  4. Reproductive rights

  5. Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Third wave feminism


  1. 1990s - 2010s

  2. Judith Butler

  3. Redefining femininity and feminism

  4. Developing intersectionality

  5. Empowered women with the right to choose
• Fourth wave feminism


  1. 2010s onwards

  2. Social media protests

  3. Global feminism

  4. Increasing intersectionality
• Types of feminists


  • Liberal
  • Difference
  • Radical
  • Marxist
• Liberal feminism


  • Concerned with the human and civil rights of individuals, which they believe should be equal between men and women
  • Argue that the main causes of gender inequality are ignorance and socialisation
  • Do not believe that all social institutions are patriarchal, and take a "march of progress" view of gender equality
• How can gender equality be achieved (liberal feminism)

  • By using existing systems such as legal reform
  • Feminist campaigns have led to important changes in legislation
  • Call for cultural change to stop transmission of stereotypical beliefs about gender
• Radical feminism


  • Argues patriarchy exists in all parts of society – not just in the world of work and politics
  • Women are oppressed in the family, and in personal relationships as well
• How can gender equality be achieved (radical feminism)

  • Radical feminists want revolutionary change
  • Consciousness-raising: women-only groups that share experiences of patriarchy, lead to collective action
  • Some radical feminists advocate for separatism and political lesbianism
  • Greer argues for the creation of all-female households
• Marxist feminism


  • Argues women are exploited by capitalism and men
  • Women are unpaid homemakers
  • Confined to the home and economically dependent on men
  • This subordination of women performs four functions for capitalism: a source of cheap, exploitable labour, a reserve army of labour, reproduction of the labour force, absorption of anger
• How can gender equality be achieved (Marxist feminism)

  • If capitalism is the source of the problem, it must be overthrown to solve the problem
  • Marxist feminists argue that only a communist revolution can help
• Difference feminism


  • Argues that feminist theory has claimed to be about all women but is only about the experiences of white, Western, heterosexual, middle-class women
  • Highlights that women are not a homogenous group, and have different experiences of patriarchy
• How can gender equality be achieved (difference feminism)


  • Recognise the diversity of women's lives and struggles rather than prioritising some and excluding others
  • We need to consider more than just gender when investigating gender inequality – what other factors could be impacting a woman's experience of inequality?
• Evaluating feminist theories:

  Feminist theories as a whole have introduced greater understanding of gender differences in society

  However, inequalities between men and women still remain today

  The movement is sometimes seen to be too fragmented to bring about change due to disagreements within the movement…