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feminist views of the family Cheat Sheet by

wjec As paper 1 understanding sociology

introd­uction

-socio­logists have long been divided on the issue of feminists views of the family.
-the underlying belief is that women experience injustice on the basis of their gender and that society works to favour men.
functi­ona­lists would disagree with feminism as they overlook the affecrs of major social inequa­lit­ities such as sexism and patria­rchy.

Conclusion

-under­lying beliefs that all feminist share is that women experience injustice in the family on the basis of their gender
-believe society works to favour men and this male domination of society is known as patria­rchy.

critisisms

-women may feel oppressed, but men may be forced into an aggressive role.
-gender systems can be damaging to both men and women.
-tend to over look other forms of inequality like race, age and didsab­ility.

liberal feminists

liberal feminists belive gender inequality is gradually being achieved through laws and policies for the family.
-they are concerned with discri­min­ation of women in areas such as work and education
-womens oppression is thus being overcome through these law changes in addition to tp the changing attitudes surronding the role or position of women in the family
-sex discri­min­ation act outlaws discri­min­ation in employment which allows women to break through the 'glass ceiling'(a social barrier preventing women from being promoted to top jobs) of opression within the workplace
-jenny somerville believes women have access to a number of opport­unities in society which they did not previosly have access to including job opport­unities and control over fertility

difference feminists

Difference feminists belive that all women have different experi­ences of exploi­tat­ions, they focus on exploi­tation of women both through their sexuality and ethnicity.
-asain women may experience more patriarchy in their families due to cultures and beliefs, and black feminists may view the family as supportive against racism.
critisms: DF critise other feminist for their failure to consider the influence of racism as well as patriarchy but this can be seen as belittling other peoples experi­ences due to their ethnicity.
 

radical feminist

radical feminists see men as the enemy and marriage as a fantasy into which women are drawn into in order for men to control their behaviour.
-refers to the term 'sex class' because with the combo of female biology and patriarchy it is inevitable women will depend on men
-'poli­tical lesbia­nis­m'(main idea is that sexuality is a choice) is the only way women can gain equality
-radical feminist Germaine Greer says women have been 'castr­ated' by a patria­rchal society that demeans and hates women, she argues thats girls are socialised into tradit­ional ideas of feminity.
critisms: Fail to recognise that men are just as constr­ained by social­isation into masculine roles as women are by femine rules.
 

most feminists

most feminists agree that men oppress women and treat women unfairely through law.
-these are often show when violence against women is not taken seriously by official agencies or the gender pay gap.
-women re also oppressed by mwn when they take on unpaid workin in the home known as the triple shift. Marxists feminist Margeret Benson says ' the amount of unpaid labour women perform in the home is very large compared to men.'
-men tend to control important decisions as they have finacial power.
-gender roles in the family mean women have no freedom due to either the dual burden or thw triple shift.
Critisms: some feminists writing has been extreme and hostile to men and assumes, for example that all me are potential rapists.
 

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