feminist perspective on family

• triple shift


  domestic labour, paid work and emotional work
• duel burdern


  domestic and paid work
• patriarchy 


  the way men dominate women in most areas of society
• malestream sociology


  studies and theories are all from perspective of a man
• feminist view of family


  family acts as institution which oppresses women

  nuclear family serves the interests of men over women
• liberal feminism view on family


  family is becoming more equal via changes in law and social attitudes

  e.g., parents socialising children in more gender neutral ways
• evaluation of liberal feminist view of family


  overstates amount of change made

  fails to challenge underlying causes
• marxist feminist view on family


  capitalism oppresses women in family more than men

  1. women reproduce workforce and socialise them into social hierarchy
  2. women absorb anger of women from oppression ( ANSLEY = women are takers of shit )
  3. women = cheap army reserve of labour that can be used / let go accordingly
• radical feminist view of family

  men are the enemy and marriage/family are key in the existence of patriarchy

  family should be abolished and system of separatism instituted.

  political lesbianism as heterosexual relationships are oppressive

  Greer - matrifocal households
• evaluation of radical feminist view of family


  somerville - fail to see improvements made to women's experience of family life

  somerville - separatism is unobtainable due to heterosexual attraction
• 2 overarching feminist ideas and roles of the family


  socialises girls to accept subservient roles in family whilst socialising boys into believing they are superior

  socialises girls to view housewife role as only possible and acceptable role for women

  family is breeding ground for patriarchal values
• causes of relationship inequality - liberal feminists


  mainstream working culture

  men refusing to pull their weight in relationships
• solutions of relationship inequality - lib fem


  reform measures in existing system removing all discrimination allowing for equality of opportunity for women and men, allowing them to make free choices between motherhood, careers or both
• SOMERVILLE - lib fem


  many feminists fail to acknowledge progress made such as increased choice, rise in dual earner families, modern men more voluntarily committed to sharing routine necessities of family life

  doesnt see living without a man as the answer due to high rates of remarriages

  feminists should focus on policies encouraging equality

  true equality = increased equality in paid work
• reform measures to create equality of opportunity for women and men - liberal fem


  changing socialisation and parenting practices = avoid gender stereotyping

  establishing and asserting legal rights of women as individuals

  establishment of equality in maternity and paternity leave = parenting seen as responsibility of both parents

  better and cheaper childcare = men and women combine childcare with successful careers

  more sharing of household and childcare tasks with men

  stronger action against domestic violence
• evaluation of liberal fem approach to family


  doesnt tackle fundamental inequalities that women face as a result of patriarchy and capitalism
• social reproduction of labour power by family (3) - marx fem


  provides place for eating, drinking and relaxing, helping to ensure members of workforce are able to go to work with ability to work renewed

  producing and maintaining labour which is free to capitalists through unpaid domestic work of women via rearing children and looking after male partners

  socialising children into dominant ideology and preparing them for the necessity and routines of work, laying groundwork for submission to bosses
• family as a means of social control of the working class


  expectations of good parents providing material comforts for child helps keep people in their jobs

  harder for workers to strike for higher wages if they have a family to support as it may mean cuts to standard of living for their family

  weakens worker's bargaining power at work and discourages them from taking action at work
• family as a safety valve - DELPHY AND LEONARD (marx fem)


  family provides release from frustration and lack of power / control at work

  delphy and leonard argue this is provided by women via emotional work aspect of triple shift

  helps prevent frustration at work from causing action against system and contributes to stabilisation of capitalist system
• marx fem - ANSLEY


  women absorb anger otherwise aimed at capitalism

  extreme cases = domestic violence
• marx fem - PENNY RED


  the way women's labour is used and abused sustains patriarchy and capitalism

  majority of work is being done by women for free
• marx fem solutions to inequality


  tackling capitalism

  soft solutions - paying women for childcare and housework

  hard solutions - abolishment of capitalism
• evaluation of marx feminism approach to family


  correlation between women's liberation and the development of capitalism suggests opposite of their argument

  outdated?

  women's oppression was evident long before capitalism
• radical fem overall view on family

  all relationships between men and women are based on patriarchy

  paid work has resulted in dual burden / triple shift with men benefitting from women's unpaid domestic work and their paid work

  dark side of family - 1 in 4 women experience DV in their life
• GREER - rad feminist


  many relationships between men and women in all spheres of life in contemporary society remain highly patriarchal and exploitative
• rad feminist solutions to inequality in families

  abolition of traditional patriarchal family nuclear family

  political lesbianism + political celibacy to avoid sleeping with the enemy
• evaluation of radical feminists

  less relevant - women less likely to suffer dual burden

  neglects common experiences shared by women in families

  assumes women are passive victims in the family and have no choices

  around 2/3rd divorces are initiated by women
• HAKIM - evaluation of marx and radical feminism

  womens inequality in the family may be the result of womens personal choices and preferences, and that most men and women have different career aspiration, life goals and priorities.

  some women may choose to become full time housewives and mothers etc
• difference / intersectional feminist view on family

  impossible to generalise women's experiences in the family due to different social factors influencing oppression scales
• NICHOLSON - difference / intersectional feminist


  argues there is powerful ideology supporting traditional family types and devaluing others

  alternate family types are better for women than traditional ones

  all family types are acceptable as they suit different women in different circumstances
• CALHOUN and lesbian families - difference / intersectional feminism

  modern families are characterised by choice

  lesbian / gay families are chosen families and these are just as much family relationships as heterosexual relationships
• evaluation of intersectional / difference feminism

  loses sight of inequalities between men and women and focuses more on differences between women