Feminism Revision Guide
1.1 Feminism core ideas and principles
Sex and Gender:
• Believe the two terms do not mean the same thing. Sex is biological, gender is a product of society.
• Some argue that human nature is therefore androgynous and any differences in nature and
inequality are based on socialisation not biology.
• Gender stereotypes have created inequality not biology.
• Difference Feminists would disagree! They view men and women as being very different.
Patriarchy:
• Feminists believe that society, economy and state have been male dominated.
• This is an artificial construct and needs to be changed.
• Disagreements over how it needs to be overcome and where it is strongest.
The Personal is Political:
• Disagrees with the idea that feminism/politics should only look at the public sphere where work
and education take place. The private sphere of families, domestic life, relationships and child
rearing should be ignore by politics.
• Argues that politics should apply to both the private and public spheres and look at the power
dynamics of sex and the home also.
• Radical feminist support this. Liberal feminists think these goes too far, as they don’t want state
intervention in the private sphere.
Equality Feminism:
• Want to create a gender blind world, where men and women are treated entirely equally.
• Argue that gender is learned behaviour and that biology has little influence on the differences
between men and women- Liberal and Socialist Fems (some Radicals)
Difference Feminism
• Fear that equality will lead to women taking on male characteristics and becoming worse.
• Believe there are natural differences between men and women. Women have better qualities and
these need to be protected.
• Want men and women to be viewed as different and in some cases want to live separately to men.
• They are Essentialists, believe there is an essence to being female/male, not simply a social
construction
• Most associated with Radical Feminism
Intersectionality
• Post-modern idea that argues against the ‘white middle class feminism’- focuses on the wider
experiences of the patriarchy,
• Believes feminism needs to look at how gender ‘intersects’ with other discriminatory factors-
gender/race/age/sexuality.
, 1.2 Differing views and tensions
Liberal Feminism
• Want for society to be gender blind and women getting more equality of opportunity, and allowing
women to be individuals. Seeks to reform society to achieve this.
• They want government intervention in the public sphere to support women, but do not want
government intervention in the private sphere, as they worry this will have removed the free will of
women.
• Key thinkers: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Simone De Beauvoir.
Socialist Feminism
• See the oppression of women as being economic in roots. Capitalism created the gender roles, so
must be destroyed. Collectivism would remove discrimination- as the boss would no longer be part
of the patriarchy
• Begins with Friedrich Engels who believes that capitalism created the nuclear family and therefore
reduced the power of women. Women act as a low paid reserve army of labour.
• Key thinker; Sheila Rowbothamo
Radical Feminism
• In response to the ’success’ of legal equality. Argue that gender division Is rooted in our culture,
society and private relationships with men. Radical change needs to happen in both the public and
private sphere.
• They believe patriarchy and gender has always divided us, and reforming/changing economics will
not change this.
• Patriarchy can only be removed, and equality only achieved with a revolution of the personal
sphere- ridding women of the problems of the nuclear family and gender roles.
• Lots of disagreements of how to achieve this revolution: from more state intervention to lesbian
separatism.
• Key thinker: Kate Millett
Post-Modern Feminism
• Argued all feminism has been too generic, thinks oppression is more complex. Looks at intersection
of race, class, age and other demographics in combination with gender.
• Argue against the universalism of old-feminism. Also concerned about the use of language- what is
a woman, what is a man?
Equality Feminism/Difference Feminism- See above
1.1 Feminism core ideas and principles
Sex and Gender:
• Believe the two terms do not mean the same thing. Sex is biological, gender is a product of society.
• Some argue that human nature is therefore androgynous and any differences in nature and
inequality are based on socialisation not biology.
• Gender stereotypes have created inequality not biology.
• Difference Feminists would disagree! They view men and women as being very different.
Patriarchy:
• Feminists believe that society, economy and state have been male dominated.
• This is an artificial construct and needs to be changed.
• Disagreements over how it needs to be overcome and where it is strongest.
The Personal is Political:
• Disagrees with the idea that feminism/politics should only look at the public sphere where work
and education take place. The private sphere of families, domestic life, relationships and child
rearing should be ignore by politics.
• Argues that politics should apply to both the private and public spheres and look at the power
dynamics of sex and the home also.
• Radical feminist support this. Liberal feminists think these goes too far, as they don’t want state
intervention in the private sphere.
Equality Feminism:
• Want to create a gender blind world, where men and women are treated entirely equally.
• Argue that gender is learned behaviour and that biology has little influence on the differences
between men and women- Liberal and Socialist Fems (some Radicals)
Difference Feminism
• Fear that equality will lead to women taking on male characteristics and becoming worse.
• Believe there are natural differences between men and women. Women have better qualities and
these need to be protected.
• Want men and women to be viewed as different and in some cases want to live separately to men.
• They are Essentialists, believe there is an essence to being female/male, not simply a social
construction
• Most associated with Radical Feminism
Intersectionality
• Post-modern idea that argues against the ‘white middle class feminism’- focuses on the wider
experiences of the patriarchy,
• Believes feminism needs to look at how gender ‘intersects’ with other discriminatory factors-
gender/race/age/sexuality.
, 1.2 Differing views and tensions
Liberal Feminism
• Want for society to be gender blind and women getting more equality of opportunity, and allowing
women to be individuals. Seeks to reform society to achieve this.
• They want government intervention in the public sphere to support women, but do not want
government intervention in the private sphere, as they worry this will have removed the free will of
women.
• Key thinkers: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Simone De Beauvoir.
Socialist Feminism
• See the oppression of women as being economic in roots. Capitalism created the gender roles, so
must be destroyed. Collectivism would remove discrimination- as the boss would no longer be part
of the patriarchy
• Begins with Friedrich Engels who believes that capitalism created the nuclear family and therefore
reduced the power of women. Women act as a low paid reserve army of labour.
• Key thinker; Sheila Rowbothamo
Radical Feminism
• In response to the ’success’ of legal equality. Argue that gender division Is rooted in our culture,
society and private relationships with men. Radical change needs to happen in both the public and
private sphere.
• They believe patriarchy and gender has always divided us, and reforming/changing economics will
not change this.
• Patriarchy can only be removed, and equality only achieved with a revolution of the personal
sphere- ridding women of the problems of the nuclear family and gender roles.
• Lots of disagreements of how to achieve this revolution: from more state intervention to lesbian
separatism.
• Key thinker: Kate Millett
Post-Modern Feminism
• Argued all feminism has been too generic, thinks oppression is more complex. Looks at intersection
of race, class, age and other demographics in combination with gender.
• Argue against the universalism of old-feminism. Also concerned about the use of language- what is
a woman, what is a man?
Equality Feminism/Difference Feminism- See above
