1. Feminism

2. Feminism appears in “waves” - of which “waves” of feminism are you aware? When were they?

3. Feminism has been a movement apparent in “ waves ”. The “ first wave” was in the late 19th Century and is illustrated by the “ suffragette ” movement (the fight to get the vote for women). The “ second wave ” was in the 1960s - and is illustrated by the Women’s Liberation Movement ( referred to by Freda Adler in her Liberation Thesis). The “third wave” is seen to be related to post modern society

5. What term do feminists use to describe the position of females? _ u _ o _ _ i _ a _ e What does this term mean?

6. Of which forms of Feminism are you aware?

7. The Feminist theories that have the most impact are: a)Liberal / Reformist feminism - also known as “ Equal Rights feminism ” b) Radical feminism c) Marxist feminism d) Dual systems feminism e) Difference feminism f) Post-structural/Postmodern feminism

8. Feminists see society as “malestream” - male dominated, where females are subordinate (seen as inferior, with less power/status ). Do feminists agree on the causes / solutions to female subordination?

9. Feminists disagree on the causes of women’s subordination and how it could be solved.

10. Feminist Theories - Overview Cause of oppression? Oppression maintained by? Solution to oppression? Strengths?Limitations?Major commentators? Liberal / Reformist / Equal Rights Feminism Discrimination Inequality in laws Gender socialisation. Laws. Stereotype s and prejudices. Changes to laws and to the socialisation process. Breaking down the glass ceiling. Optimistic / positive view - recognises that there has been some degree of a March of Progress for women over time Over-optimistic view. Ignores deep-rooted structural inequalities. Assume that law changes will bring about equality. Ann Oakley Radical Feminism PatriarchyMen Powerful groups. Media. Separatism. Consciousness raising groups. Political lesbianism. Focus on oppression within personal relationships. Reject ‘male-stream’ nature of Sociology. Class and capitalism are seen as most influential. Ignores other factors. Impractical solutions are offered. Neglects the violence shown BY women. Greer Rich Firestone Brownmiller Marxist Feminism Capitalism Class Familist ideology Breaking down the class / glass ceilings. Breakdown stereotypes Overthrow familism.. Recognises the structural factors ie capitalism. Identifies how women’s subordination props up capitalism. Overlooks patriarchy. Sex-blind. Overlooks the experience of women in non-capitalist societies. Barrett Segal Dual Systems Feminism Patriarchal capitalism Men Capitalist economy Dismantle patriarchal control and capitalism. Shows how patriarchy and capitalism combine to create female oppression. Patriarchy is not a “system” - it is more a description of a range of forms of oppression. Hartmann Walby Difference Feminism The causes are different for different women. All experience it differently Essentialist attitudes See all women as “essentially different”. Tackle the range of causes of oppression. Recognises the diversity of women’s experiences, and that they experience oppression in different ways. Weaken feminism as a theory by fragmenting it. Diane Abbott Post Structural Feminism Traditional “discourses” - ways of thinking, seeing and speaking about women Traditional discourses via media, family etc De-construct (analyse) traditional discourses to discover how they oppress women. Reject “essentialism”. Recognises the diversity of women’s experiences in today’s society / world and that oppression has many causes / sources, other than just structural. Ignores the structural causes of inequality. Overlooks that there are similarities between women. Butler and Scott

11. a)Liberal / Reformist feminism / “Equal Rights feminism” – Charlotte / Natasha b) Radical feminism – Emily c) Marxist feminism – Ben / Sophie B d) Dual systems feminism - Alex e) Difference feminism – Nicole / Ameera f) Post-structural/Postmodern feminism – Sophie S / Jon

12. Feminist Theories - Overview Cause of oppression? Oppression maintained by? Solution to oppression? Strengths?Limitations?Major commentators? Liberal / Reformist / Equal Rights Feminism Radical Feminism Marxist Feminism Dual Systems Feminism Difference Feminism Post Structural Feminism

13. Liberal Feminism

14. What do you already know about Liberal Feminism?

15. Liberal feminism : argues that we don’t need a revolution - just policies that will gradually bring about change (eg Sex discrimination laws) and “cultural” change - changes to stereotypical views and attitudes towards women. Liberal feminists argue that gender (masculine roles / feminine roles) is socially and culturally constructed and transmitted through socialisation. They criticise Parsons’ functionalist idea of “ expressive ” and “ instrumental ” roles. Their solution is to change socialisation patterns and challenge stereotypes. Liberal feminists believe that a “ march of progress ” towards a better society (in line with the aims of the Enlightenment Project ) is occurring.

17. How might Liberal Feminism be criticised?

18. Criticisms of the Liberal feminist approach include: It is an over-optimistic approach - the “march of progress” is more like a slow crawl. They overlook capitalism and patriarchy as key barriers to gender equality. Liberal feminists are described by Marxist feminists and radical feminists as naive and as failing to recognise the underlying causes of women’s subordination.

19. Radical Feminism

20. What do you already know about Radical Feminism?

21. Radical feminism: Radical feminism emerged in the early 1970s - its key concept is Patriarchy which literally means “Rule by Fathers”. Radical feminists claim that Patriarchy is universal and is rooted in female’s child-bearing role which makes them dependent on men (Firestone). Patriarchy is the primary and most basic form of social inequality and conflict. Society’s main division is between men and women. Men are the enemy of women. To Radical Feminists, all men oppress all women - all men benefit from patriarchy.

24. Since 2008, this 'gang of four' – Inna, Sasha, Oksana and Anna – has been developing a spectacular, radical, new feminism. First in Ukraine and then around the world, they are struggling to obtain better conditions for women, but they also fight poverty, discrimination, dictatorships and the dictates of religion. They have an extraordinary story and here they tell it in their own words, and express their hopes and ambitions for women throughout the world. "Femen’s aims are straightforward, broad and radical. A war on patriarchy on three fronts, calling for an end to all religions, dictatorship and the sex industry." The Guardian Published April 2014 978-0-7456-8322-5

25. 'Ukraine is not a brothel!' This was the first cry of rage uttered by Femen during Euro 2012. Bare-breasted and crowned with flowers, perched on their high heels, Femen transform their bodies into instruments of political expression through slogans and drawings flaunted on their skin. Humour, drama, courage and shock tactics are their weapons. These women scale church steeples and climb into embassies, burst into television studios and invade polling stations. Some of them have served time in jail, been prosecuted for ‘hooliganism’ in their home country and are banned from living in other states. But thanks to extraordinary media coverage, the movement is gaining imitators and supporters in France, Germany, Brazil and elsewhere. Inna, Sasha, Oksana and Anna have an extraordinary story and here they tell it in their own words, and at the same time express their hopes and ambitions for women throughout the world.

26. "Femen and Everyday Sexism are two breakthrough movements to emerge in recent times, and they bring their own distinct 'manifestos' in book form. Both confirm that feminism is no longer a dirty word among twenty-somethings but also that the ideology manifests itself differently from their campaigning Second Wave predecessors." The Independent "With Femen, we are dealing with something new... Its activists are charting a new route for public discourse about women and religion, and making it an unabashedly universal discourse, venturing into realms where they may be hated, and they may yet pay a high price for this. But that they have got people talking, even shouting and crying, is undeniable, and it is good; only through debate and discussion, sometimes painful, often unsettling, will we progress." The Atlantic

27. How might Marxists criticise Radical Feminism?

28. Marxists would criticise this claim because they believe that social class rather than gender is the primary form of conflict and inequality. Marxists feel that women’s subordination is rooted in capitalism, which they see as the main cause and beneficiary of oppression, rather than men.

29. For radical feminists, patriarchal oppression is direct and personal - it takes place in the private sphere of the home and the public sphere outside the home, including the workplace, street etc. For radical feminists, “the personal is political” - all relationships involve power and relationships are political when one party in a relationship exerts power and dominates another. This makes the personal relationships between men and women political - because men dominate women through their relationships with them - radical feminists call this “sexual politics”.

30. Radical feminists focus on the ways in which patriarchal power is used through personal relationships eg sexual and domestic abuse - or the threat of it, controls women. Brownmiller uses the example of rape to illustrate this - fear of it is a powerful deterrent, and limits female’s freedom to go out, especially at night.

31. Malestream sociology regards sexuality as a natural biological urge, and therefore outside the scope of sociology. However, radical feminists argue that men “construct” sexuality in ways that benefits them. Adrienne Rich uses the term “Compulsory heterosexuality” to describe how, via pornography, men construct the idea that women are passive in sexual relationships, and are just there to satisfy men.

32. What solutions to women’s subordination would Radical Feminism suggest?

33. Radical feminists argue that, because women’s oppression is reproduced through the contexts of patriarchy and sexual relationships, each of these contexts must be changed if women are ever to be free from oppression. They suggest the following solutions : Separatism - women should live apart from men in “women only” households (Greer). This solution is criticised because it is unrealistic. Consciousness-raising - efforts must be made to get women to meet together to share their experiences and concerns - eg the “Reclaim the Night” marches. Political lesbianism - radical feminists argue that this is the only non-oppressive form of sexuality. Heterosexual relationships involve “sleeping with the enemy”. This could be criticised because it neglects to explain female violence against men, and violence in lesbian relationships.

35. What do you understand by the concept “essentialism”?

36. Additional points of Evaluation: Radical feminists do not explain why oppression is experienced differently across different societies. Radical feminists assume that women are “ essentially all the same ”. Difference feminists and post-structural feminists disagree with “essentialism”.

37. Marxist Feminism

38. What do you already know about Marxist Feminism?

39. Marxist Feminism: Marxist feminists dismiss Liberal and Radical feminist views. Marxist feminists claim that women’s oppression is rooted in capitalism. Women are unpaid homemakers and therefore economically dependent on men. They see this as having a number of positive economic functions for capitalism : a) Women are a source of cheap, exploitable labour - they can be paid less because they have the economic support of their husbands. b) Women are a “reserve army of labour” - hired and fired by capitalism whenever the need arises. c) Women reproduce the labourforce at no cost to capitalism - bearing, raising and socialising children to become future, efficient and effective workers for capitalism d) Women absorb men’s anger and frustrations - they are “takers of sh*t) and therefore keep their husbands “sane / stable”, prepared to continue to work hard for capitalism (Fran Ansley).

40. What solution to women’s subordination would Marxist Feminism suggest?

41. Therefore, according to Marxist feminists, the solution to women’s oppression is to overthrow capitalism. This solution could be criticised as unrealistic.

42. Michelle Barrett introduces us to the concept “Ideology of Familism” - by this she means that women are persuaded to believe that the nuclear family, with its domestic division of labour is “normal” and the only place where they can experience real fulfilment. So, to create a more equal society, we need to overthrow capitalism AND this ideology. She believes that this would remove the stereotypical expectations that drive females to see the nuclear family as the best solution for them. However, Judith Mitchell argues that removal of this ideology would be VERY difficult to achieve, because women’s ideas about their role are so deeply internalised.

43. How might Marxist Feminism be criticised?

44. Evaluation of Marxist Feminism: Marxist feminism is useful because it alerts us to the importance of structural, economic and ideological factors that keep women subordinated. However; a) Marxist feminists fail to explain the oppression of women in non- capitalist societies. Marxist feminists reject this, claiming that their focus is to try to explain oppression in capitalist societies only. b) Marxist feminists overlook the key concern that is is women, rather than men, who perform unpaid domestic labour - so are accused of being “sex-blind”. c) Radical feminists argue that Marxist feminists underplay the role of men, and overplay the role of capitalism in causing female oppression. Dual systems feminists try to address this issue. d) Marxist feminists also overlook the possibility that unpaid domestic labour by wives might not be the cheapest provider. Critics argue that childcare/nursery care could be cheaper for capitalism to provide, because it would encourage women to work in paid employment which would be more directly beneficial to capitalism than encouraging mothers to stay at home.

45. Dual Systems Feminism

46. What might be the two “systems” that might be seen to be the cause of women’s subordination?

47. Dual Systems Feminism: Dual Systems Feminists introduce us to “Patriarchal Capitalism” - blaming men AND capitalism for female oppression. They agree that patriarchy is universal, but see that it takes on a specific form in capitalist society. They argue that we need to look at the position of women at home, and in the workplace. Heidi Hartshorn suggests that domestic labour limits women’s opportunities to get paid employment, but, lack of paid employment drives women into economic dependence on men.

48. Walby agrees that patriarchy and capitalism are inter-linked, but suggests that each has different interests in oppressing women: a) Capitalism wants cheap exploitable labour b) Patriarchy wants women to remain in the home However, as capitalism is more powerful than patriarchy, capitalism adopts a strategy of “separatism”, where it allows women into the workforce, but only into the low paid jobs.

49. Difference Feminism

50. What do you already know about Difference Feminism?

51. Difference Feminism: The two key issues for difference feminists are: a) “Essentialism” - which they reject b) The relationship of feminism with the Enlightenment Project - this is taken up by the Post- Structural/Postmodern Feminists.

52. Stereotypically, which “female” has been the focus of much feminist analysis?

53. Difference feminists argue that feminism has “claimed a false universality” for itself - ie it has claimed to support all women. Difference feminists argue that in effect, feminism has focused only on white, western, heterosexual middle class women. Difference feminists reject what they see as “essentialism” - the idea that women are, in essence, all the same and experience the same experiences of oppression. They argue that Liberal Feminism and Radical Feminism are “essentialist” theories, failing to reflect the diversity of women’s experiences and ultimately excluding some women from their focus.

54. Difference feminists argue that feminism should look at the different experiences that different women have. They argue that, in seeing the family as oppressive and exploitive, feminists neglect the experience of black women, for whom the family is massively supportive in helping them overcome exploitation and oppression. How might difference feminists be criticised?

55. A criticism of Difference Feminism is that it “fragments” the feminist movement, and this prevents feminism from being a movement for change for women.

56. Post-structural / Post Modern Feminism

57. Key Concept: “Discourse” - a way of seeing, thinking and speaking about something

58. Post-Structuralist Feminism: Butler and Scott argue that the Enlightenment Project is simply just one way of “thinking, seeing and speaking about something (eg the position of women)” ie just one “discourse”. A “discourse” gives power to those who create it. The Enlightenment Project is an example of a discourse which legitimises the dominance of white middle class males over others. The Enlightenment Project’s “discourse” is seen to exclude women, black, and other oppressed groups.

59. Butler goes on to argue that feminism is dominated by white, middle class females and therefore fails to represent “universal womanhood”. She argues that the Enlightenment Project cannot be adapted to include all women, because women are so diverse - they are not a single identity and don’t share the same “essence”. Thus, Butler rejects the Enlightenment Project and sees it as “essentialist” about females.

60. In post Structuralist feminism, there is no fixed “essence” of what it is to be a woman / womanhood across societies. Different cultures “see” womanhood differently - they have different “discourses” about them. She also identifies that different “discourses” result in different forms of resistance from females. Butler argues that post Structuralist feminism should “de-construct” these “discourses” in order to analyse how they subordinate women. Post-Structuralist feminism, therefore, rejects “essentialism” and recognises and legitimises the diversity of women’s lives and struggles.

61. Evaluation of Post-Structural Feminism: Walby (Dual Systems Feminist) argues that, although there ARE differences between women, there are similarities as well - especially in that they all face patriarchy. Oppression is not just the result of “discourses” (ie about the way we see, think and speak about women), it is about real inequality.

62. Feminist Theories - Overview Cause of oppression? Oppression maintained by? Solution to oppression? Strengths?Limitations?Major commentators? Liberal / Reformist / Equal Rights Feminism Discrimination Inequality in laws Gender socialisation. Laws. Stereotype s and prejudices. Changes to laws and to the socialisation process. Breaking down the glass ceiling. Optimistic / positive view - recognises that there has been some degree of a March of Progress for women over time Over-optimistic view. Ignores deep-rooted structural inequalities. Assume that law changes will bring about equality. Ann Oakley Radical Feminism PatriarchyMen Powerful groups. Media. Separatism. Consciousness raising groups. Political lesbianism. Focus on oppression within personal relationships. Reject ‘male-stream’ nature of Sociology. Class and capitalism are seen as most influential. Ignores other factors. Impractical solutions are offered. Neglects the violence shown BY women. Greer Rich Firestone Brownmiller Marxist Feminism Capitalism Class Familist ideology Breaking down the class / glass ceilings. Breakdown stereotypes Overthrow familism.. Recognises the structural factors ie capitalism. Identifies how women’s subordination props up capitalism. Overlooks patriarchy. Sex-blind. Overlooks the experience of women in non-capitalist societies. Barrett Segal Dual Systems Feminism Patriarchal capitalism Men Capitalist economy Dismantle patriarchal control and capitalism. Shows how patriarchy and capitalism combine to create female oppression. Patriarchy is not a “system” - it is more a description of a range of forms of oppression. Hartmann Walby Difference Feminism The causes are different for different women. All experience it differently Essentialist attitudes See all women as “essentially different”. Tackle the range of causes of oppression. Recognises the diversity of women’s experiences, and that they experience oppression in different ways. Weaken feminism as a theory by fragmenting it. Diane Abbott Post Structural Feminism Traditional “discourses” - ways of thinking, seeing and speaking about women Traditional discourses via media, family etc De-construct (analyse) traditional discourses to discover how they oppress women. Reject “essentialism”. Recognises the diversity of women’s experiences in today’s society / world and that oppression has many causes / sources, other than just structural. Ignores the structural causes of inequality. Overlooks that there are similarities between women. Butler and Scott