Liberal feminism
Concerned with human/ civil rights and freedoms of individual, believe all humans should
have equal rights
Gender equality can be achieved through laws/ policies + cultural change (no
stereotypes)
Oakley: Sex: biological differences between M/W (seen as fixed)
Gender: culturally constructed differences between M/W roles (vary between
cultures/ time
Eg: rare to see women bus drivers in Britain
To achieve gender equality, we must change society's socialisation patterns.
Eg: role models in education/ family ( female teachers) -> cultural change
Liberal feminism critique functionalist view of gender roles.
- Eg: Parsons instrumental/ expressive roles (men/ women)
- LF: M/W equally capable of performing both roles
- Conflict between M/W is a product of outdated attitudes.
Evaluation of liberal feminism
- Demonstrate that gender differences are not inborn but due to socialisation
patterns.
- Marxists: ignore deep structures causing women's oppression (patriarchy)
- Walby: offer no explanation for structure of gender inequality.
- Marxist /radical feminists: fails to recognise underlying causes of women's
subordination, need revolutionary changes, not changes in laws
Radical feminism
1. Patriarchy is universal: exists in all known societies.
- Firestone: origins of patriarchy lie in women's biological capacity to bear infants ->
become dependent on males.
2. Patriarchy is fundamental form of inequality/ conflict between M/W
3. All men oppress all women
The personal is political
- Patriarchal oppression occurs in public sphere of work + private sphere of family
- Focus on how patriarchal power is exercised through personal relationships
(Brownmiller: fear of rape stops women going out alone at night)
Sexuality
- Patriarchy constructs sexuality to satisfy men's desires.
- Eg: women are portrayed in pornography as passive sex objects
- Rich: men continue to force women into 'compulsory heterosexuality'
Change
Concerned with human/ civil rights and freedoms of individual, believe all humans should
have equal rights
Gender equality can be achieved through laws/ policies + cultural change (no
stereotypes)
Oakley: Sex: biological differences between M/W (seen as fixed)
Gender: culturally constructed differences between M/W roles (vary between
cultures/ time
Eg: rare to see women bus drivers in Britain
To achieve gender equality, we must change society's socialisation patterns.
Eg: role models in education/ family ( female teachers) -> cultural change
Liberal feminism critique functionalist view of gender roles.
- Eg: Parsons instrumental/ expressive roles (men/ women)
- LF: M/W equally capable of performing both roles
- Conflict between M/W is a product of outdated attitudes.
Evaluation of liberal feminism
- Demonstrate that gender differences are not inborn but due to socialisation
patterns.
- Marxists: ignore deep structures causing women's oppression (patriarchy)
- Walby: offer no explanation for structure of gender inequality.
- Marxist /radical feminists: fails to recognise underlying causes of women's
subordination, need revolutionary changes, not changes in laws
Radical feminism
1. Patriarchy is universal: exists in all known societies.
- Firestone: origins of patriarchy lie in women's biological capacity to bear infants ->
become dependent on males.
2. Patriarchy is fundamental form of inequality/ conflict between M/W
3. All men oppress all women
The personal is political
- Patriarchal oppression occurs in public sphere of work + private sphere of family
- Focus on how patriarchal power is exercised through personal relationships
(Brownmiller: fear of rape stops women going out alone at night)
Sexuality
- Patriarchy constructs sexuality to satisfy men's desires.
- Eg: women are portrayed in pornography as passive sex objects
- Rich: men continue to force women into 'compulsory heterosexuality'
Change
