Liberal:
Feminism Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Simone de Beauvoir
Key thinkers: Betty Friedan
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935)
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) Radical:
Kate Millett (1934-2017) Kate Millett
bell hooks (1952-2021) Germaine Greer
Sheila Rowbotham (1952-2021) Shulamith Firestone
Andrea Dworkin
Summary:
Human nature: Cultural:
Sex and gender
Liberal Socialist:
Radical Sheila Rowbotham
Socialist
Cultural Post-modern:
bell hooks
The personal is political Rebecca Walker
Liberal
Radical Post-colonial:
Socialist Audre Lorde
Society: Context:
Patriarchy First-wave:
Liberal First-wave feminists campaign for women's
Radical/Marxist right to vote.
Admired for their contribution to the women's
Equality feminism movement even though it quickly became clear
Difference feminism that the impact of giving women the vote was
Intersectionality more limited than they had anticipated.
Economy: Second wave:
Employment Concerned with the bodily autonomy of
Socialist women.
Extending women’s rights through legislation
The state: and law making.
Liberal Supporters of positive discrimination.
Radical/Marxist The private sphere and public sphere are
Socialist connected.
Third wave:
Intersectionality - the idea of overlapping
categories of oppression, which affects a
woman’s experience.
Considerate of post-colonial ideas and
LGBTQ+ rights.
, Radical feminist views on the sex/gender divide:
Human nature: Kate Millet:
Liberals underestimated the depth of the
problems caused by prejudices about sex and
Sex and gender: gender.
Feminists refined definition of gender, Liberal response to problems as inadequate.
explaining that it was nurture and societal Gender stereotypes are at the root of the
norms. repression of women.
Those who were biologically female should be Advocate a sexual revolution to overthrow the
given the same opportunities as biological institution responsible for this repression, the
males. patriarchy.
Feminists challenged the predetermination of Women need to reject submissive roles in their
how biology would make people develop. private and their public lives.
Men were seen as belonging to the public sphere Equal responsibility for housework/child-
of political and economic life. rearing so women can have the same
Women were seen as homemakers and mothers. opportunities as men.
Attempting to undermine the basis for
discrimination. Overview:
False idea of sex and gender being linked has
been used by the patriarchy to marginalise
Liberal feminist views on the sex/gender divide: women.
Simone de Beauvoir:
No explicit views about sex/gender. Socialist feminist views on the sex/gender divide:
Difference between men and women was purely Problems caused by the sex/gender divide are a
physical. part of discrimination caused by patriarchal
capitalism - employers hire women more
Betty Friedan: cheaply than men.
Sex/gender divide was a way to underpin her Childcare/ housekeeping done by women was
demand for equal rights. helpful to employers, freeing male workers from
Man/women were biological classifications and obligations.
didn't account for intellect. Women suffered at two levels: work and at
Reject idea that sex predisposed them to either home (unpaid and unappreciated).
masculinity or femininity. Marxist feminists - rebellion to overthrow
We should aim for androgyny. capitalism.
Moderate socialist feminists - reform capitalism
Overview: to eliminate problems caused by sex/gender
Women shouldn't be restricted by gender divide. Legal reform to entitle women to the
stereotypes. same workplace opportunities as men.
Acknowledge women might feel inclined to
motherhood. Overview:
If a women wants to be a housewife and mother Sex/gender divide has made life harder for
that is a private matter and not the decision of women both in the home and in the workplace.
wider society. Sex/gender divide - system of discrimination
caused by patriarchal capitalism.
Legal reforms to help women engage in the
workplace into senior roles.
, Radical:
Public/private :
Human nature: Way women behave at home impacts their lives
in the public sphere.
Cultural feminist views on the sex/gender divide: Submissive women at home find it difficult to
Men and women have inclinations towards assert themselves in public.
contrasting masculine and feminine Women doing housework/ childcare, limits the
characteristics - essentialism. time to advance careers, freeing up time for
The roles performed by women have been men to spend at work.
treated as of lesser importance. Chores/parenting done by women is a pattern
Motherhood and feminine qualities have given of inequality to the next generation.
women an advantage over men. Fight for equality at home is crucial to success
in the public sphere.
Overview:
Sex and gender are linked. Socialist:
Public/private:
Judith Butler: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Focusing efforts on overthrowing patriarchal
Subversion of Identity (1990) capitalism in the public sphere.
Sex/gender forcing the idea of gender binary. Unpaid work by women in private - repression,
People should focus less on definitions and exploitative, capitalist
more on analysing the power structures in Without women’s labour, men would not have
society. been fed/cared for.
Key terms:
The personal is political
Sex:
Public sphere is the domain of political
Person’s biological organs - designated at birth.
economic and legal activity within a state.
Private sphere consists of the home/ family.
Gender:
Social construct, behaviours, perspectives, and
Liberal:
characteristics by society to be masculine/ feminine.
Public:
Women to enjoy equality in the public sphere.
Discrimination:
Achieved through political and legal reform,
When a person is subject to prejudice/unfair
which will extend the same rights to women as
treatment on the basis of personal characteristics.
men.
Worked to remove barriers to progression in
Androgyny:
the public sphere e.g. laws requiring women to
A person can have male/ female characteristics -
resign from their jobs if they got married.
‘personhood’ rather than separate identities.
Campaigned for equal pay, including paid
maternity leave.
Patriarchy:
A male dominated society.
Private:
Liberals do not concern themselves with what
Essentialism:
happens in the private sphere.
Biology - sex, behaviours and psychology. Men are
Women should be able to make their own
predisposed to aggression/ domination and women
decisions about how to live their lives behind
are imbued with natural empathy.
closed doors.
How women behave in private has little bearing
Private sphere:
on their lives outside the home.
Person’s domestic life.
Feminism Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Simone de Beauvoir
Key thinkers: Betty Friedan
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935)
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) Radical:
Kate Millett (1934-2017) Kate Millett
bell hooks (1952-2021) Germaine Greer
Sheila Rowbotham (1952-2021) Shulamith Firestone
Andrea Dworkin
Summary:
Human nature: Cultural:
Sex and gender
Liberal Socialist:
Radical Sheila Rowbotham
Socialist
Cultural Post-modern:
bell hooks
The personal is political Rebecca Walker
Liberal
Radical Post-colonial:
Socialist Audre Lorde
Society: Context:
Patriarchy First-wave:
Liberal First-wave feminists campaign for women's
Radical/Marxist right to vote.
Admired for their contribution to the women's
Equality feminism movement even though it quickly became clear
Difference feminism that the impact of giving women the vote was
Intersectionality more limited than they had anticipated.
Economy: Second wave:
Employment Concerned with the bodily autonomy of
Socialist women.
Extending women’s rights through legislation
The state: and law making.
Liberal Supporters of positive discrimination.
Radical/Marxist The private sphere and public sphere are
Socialist connected.
Third wave:
Intersectionality - the idea of overlapping
categories of oppression, which affects a
woman’s experience.
Considerate of post-colonial ideas and
LGBTQ+ rights.
, Radical feminist views on the sex/gender divide:
Human nature: Kate Millet:
Liberals underestimated the depth of the
problems caused by prejudices about sex and
Sex and gender: gender.
Feminists refined definition of gender, Liberal response to problems as inadequate.
explaining that it was nurture and societal Gender stereotypes are at the root of the
norms. repression of women.
Those who were biologically female should be Advocate a sexual revolution to overthrow the
given the same opportunities as biological institution responsible for this repression, the
males. patriarchy.
Feminists challenged the predetermination of Women need to reject submissive roles in their
how biology would make people develop. private and their public lives.
Men were seen as belonging to the public sphere Equal responsibility for housework/child-
of political and economic life. rearing so women can have the same
Women were seen as homemakers and mothers. opportunities as men.
Attempting to undermine the basis for
discrimination. Overview:
False idea of sex and gender being linked has
been used by the patriarchy to marginalise
Liberal feminist views on the sex/gender divide: women.
Simone de Beauvoir:
No explicit views about sex/gender. Socialist feminist views on the sex/gender divide:
Difference between men and women was purely Problems caused by the sex/gender divide are a
physical. part of discrimination caused by patriarchal
capitalism - employers hire women more
Betty Friedan: cheaply than men.
Sex/gender divide was a way to underpin her Childcare/ housekeeping done by women was
demand for equal rights. helpful to employers, freeing male workers from
Man/women were biological classifications and obligations.
didn't account for intellect. Women suffered at two levels: work and at
Reject idea that sex predisposed them to either home (unpaid and unappreciated).
masculinity or femininity. Marxist feminists - rebellion to overthrow
We should aim for androgyny. capitalism.
Moderate socialist feminists - reform capitalism
Overview: to eliminate problems caused by sex/gender
Women shouldn't be restricted by gender divide. Legal reform to entitle women to the
stereotypes. same workplace opportunities as men.
Acknowledge women might feel inclined to
motherhood. Overview:
If a women wants to be a housewife and mother Sex/gender divide has made life harder for
that is a private matter and not the decision of women both in the home and in the workplace.
wider society. Sex/gender divide - system of discrimination
caused by patriarchal capitalism.
Legal reforms to help women engage in the
workplace into senior roles.
, Radical:
Public/private :
Human nature: Way women behave at home impacts their lives
in the public sphere.
Cultural feminist views on the sex/gender divide: Submissive women at home find it difficult to
Men and women have inclinations towards assert themselves in public.
contrasting masculine and feminine Women doing housework/ childcare, limits the
characteristics - essentialism. time to advance careers, freeing up time for
The roles performed by women have been men to spend at work.
treated as of lesser importance. Chores/parenting done by women is a pattern
Motherhood and feminine qualities have given of inequality to the next generation.
women an advantage over men. Fight for equality at home is crucial to success
in the public sphere.
Overview:
Sex and gender are linked. Socialist:
Public/private:
Judith Butler: Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Focusing efforts on overthrowing patriarchal
Subversion of Identity (1990) capitalism in the public sphere.
Sex/gender forcing the idea of gender binary. Unpaid work by women in private - repression,
People should focus less on definitions and exploitative, capitalist
more on analysing the power structures in Without women’s labour, men would not have
society. been fed/cared for.
Key terms:
The personal is political
Sex:
Public sphere is the domain of political
Person’s biological organs - designated at birth.
economic and legal activity within a state.
Private sphere consists of the home/ family.
Gender:
Social construct, behaviours, perspectives, and
Liberal:
characteristics by society to be masculine/ feminine.
Public:
Women to enjoy equality in the public sphere.
Discrimination:
Achieved through political and legal reform,
When a person is subject to prejudice/unfair
which will extend the same rights to women as
treatment on the basis of personal characteristics.
men.
Worked to remove barriers to progression in
Androgyny:
the public sphere e.g. laws requiring women to
A person can have male/ female characteristics -
resign from their jobs if they got married.
‘personhood’ rather than separate identities.
Campaigned for equal pay, including paid
maternity leave.
Patriarchy:
A male dominated society.
Private:
Liberals do not concern themselves with what
Essentialism:
happens in the private sphere.
Biology - sex, behaviours and psychology. Men are
Women should be able to make their own
predisposed to aggression/ domination and women
decisions about how to live their lives behind
are imbued with natural empathy.
closed doors.
How women behave in private has little bearing
Private sphere:
on their lives outside the home.
Person’s domestic life.
