Evaluate the contribution of feminist views to our understanding of the family. [20 marks]
Liberal feminists would argue that patriarchal tendencies in the nuclear family promotes gender
inequality. Oakley argues that the work that men do within the family does not equate to the amount
of work women do within the family. For example, only 15% of husbands had a high involvement in
housework and only 25% of husbands had a high involvement in childcare. This indicates that men
only take on the roles that are most pleasurable. This could imply that domestic chores are seen to
have low importance and is an expectation that the woman will sacrifice her time to complete the
chores. However, Young and Willmott take a march of progress view towards the gender roles within
the family. They argue that men are now taking a greater share of domestic tasks. For example, men
today help with housework and childcare whilst women go out to work. This implies that the family is
becoming more equal because conjugal roles within the family are no longer separated but are joint.
As well as this, family life is gradually improving for all of its members, including women. As more
women become wage earners, there is a power shift within the home. This balances out the financial
autonomy that men once had over women. This allows women to feel more empowered to ask for
support from their male counterpart.
Radical Feminists would argue that the conventional nuclear family oppresses women and keeps
them subordinate to men. Greer argues the issues that females face in society as a whole are caused
by males, patriarchy, and the masculine reassurance they need to feel in control. As a result, women
become highly exploited in the home via performing the triple shift of paid labour, emotional labour,
and domestic labour; but also, in more dangerous terms through forms of domestic abuse they face
in order for men to feel in control. Domestic abuse can cover a variety of different abuse types –
physical, verbal, and financial being three. For example, In the UK, 5.9 million people (1/8 adults) –
experience financial abuse in their lifetime from a partner or family member. 4.2 million of them are
women. These figures increased during the first lockdown. Other sociologists like Wilkinson suggest
higher stress levels are to blame for domestic violence rather that patriarchy. Again, this could be
applied to the lockdown and pandemic as increased time together along with reduced finances due
to furlough caused higher than normal stress levels which led to domestic abuse taking place.
Functionalists would disagree with feminists because they believe that the nuclear family helps to
preserve social harmony within wider society. This is done by the family performing the economic,
reproductive, sexual, and socialisation functions. Feminists would argue that these functions are
performed to keep women from gaining autonomy over men within the family.
Marxist Feminists would argue that the oppression of women within the conventional nuclear family
is due to capitalism. This is because society places pressure on women to create a ‘safe haven’ for the
other members within the family to decompress. The main thrust of the argument is that the
capitalist classes (bourgeoisie) are to blame for the inequality that exists which then has a knock-on
effect on women. The bourgeoisie overworks the male breadwinner for little financial incentive as a
result the male becomes frustrated and when at home vents his frustration towards his wife. Ansley
argues that by women performing the expressive role, they become the “takers of shit”. This results
in women absorbing all the anger men have towards the exploitative nature of work. The expectation
on the female is to cook, clean, and provide a ‘happy home’ for her frustrated husband. The
housewife also has to ensure that the children are looked after as well as provide her body as vessel
for the reproduction of the future work force. All of which is unpaid labour for the capitalist classes.
This reinforces the argument of oppression and levels of inequality. A solution to this is by resolving
patriarchy in wider society. This will ensure that patriarchy within the home is also resolved because
the family is a microcosm of wider society.
Liberal feminists would argue that patriarchal tendencies in the nuclear family promotes gender
inequality. Oakley argues that the work that men do within the family does not equate to the amount
of work women do within the family. For example, only 15% of husbands had a high involvement in
housework and only 25% of husbands had a high involvement in childcare. This indicates that men
only take on the roles that are most pleasurable. This could imply that domestic chores are seen to
have low importance and is an expectation that the woman will sacrifice her time to complete the
chores. However, Young and Willmott take a march of progress view towards the gender roles within
the family. They argue that men are now taking a greater share of domestic tasks. For example, men
today help with housework and childcare whilst women go out to work. This implies that the family is
becoming more equal because conjugal roles within the family are no longer separated but are joint.
As well as this, family life is gradually improving for all of its members, including women. As more
women become wage earners, there is a power shift within the home. This balances out the financial
autonomy that men once had over women. This allows women to feel more empowered to ask for
support from their male counterpart.
Radical Feminists would argue that the conventional nuclear family oppresses women and keeps
them subordinate to men. Greer argues the issues that females face in society as a whole are caused
by males, patriarchy, and the masculine reassurance they need to feel in control. As a result, women
become highly exploited in the home via performing the triple shift of paid labour, emotional labour,
and domestic labour; but also, in more dangerous terms through forms of domestic abuse they face
in order for men to feel in control. Domestic abuse can cover a variety of different abuse types –
physical, verbal, and financial being three. For example, In the UK, 5.9 million people (1/8 adults) –
experience financial abuse in their lifetime from a partner or family member. 4.2 million of them are
women. These figures increased during the first lockdown. Other sociologists like Wilkinson suggest
higher stress levels are to blame for domestic violence rather that patriarchy. Again, this could be
applied to the lockdown and pandemic as increased time together along with reduced finances due
to furlough caused higher than normal stress levels which led to domestic abuse taking place.
Functionalists would disagree with feminists because they believe that the nuclear family helps to
preserve social harmony within wider society. This is done by the family performing the economic,
reproductive, sexual, and socialisation functions. Feminists would argue that these functions are
performed to keep women from gaining autonomy over men within the family.
Marxist Feminists would argue that the oppression of women within the conventional nuclear family
is due to capitalism. This is because society places pressure on women to create a ‘safe haven’ for the
other members within the family to decompress. The main thrust of the argument is that the
capitalist classes (bourgeoisie) are to blame for the inequality that exists which then has a knock-on
effect on women. The bourgeoisie overworks the male breadwinner for little financial incentive as a
result the male becomes frustrated and when at home vents his frustration towards his wife. Ansley
argues that by women performing the expressive role, they become the “takers of shit”. This results
in women absorbing all the anger men have towards the exploitative nature of work. The expectation
on the female is to cook, clean, and provide a ‘happy home’ for her frustrated husband. The
housewife also has to ensure that the children are looked after as well as provide her body as vessel
for the reproduction of the future work force. All of which is unpaid labour for the capitalist classes.
This reinforces the argument of oppression and levels of inequality. A solution to this is by resolving
patriarchy in wider society. This will ensure that patriarchy within the home is also resolved because
the family is a microcosm of wider society.
