4.3.2: Different types of feminism

Summarise liberal feminism -Took the liberal values of individualism and foundational equality (all humans are of equal moral worth) and applied them to women. Women are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as men. Women should have all the freedoms they need to become autonomous members of society What were early liberal feminists concerned with? Why? What was their aim after this? -Women 's suffrage The assumption was that the vote would grant women a voice and politicians would need to listen to them if they wanted to be elected. Their aim after the vote was equality in all areas of the law. What have liberal feminists campaigned for in the last century -Legal and political equality They have campaigned for educational and pay equality, abortion and divorce laws and freely available contraception They also seek equal access to the public sector, which is connected to the liberal principle of equality of opportunity Which influential book did Betty Friedan write and when? -The Feminine Mystique in 1963 What did Friedan argue about the public sphere? -She argued women were being held back from their full potential as they were limited to only a few jobs that were "acceptable" for women What is the main difference between liberal and radical/socialist feminism in terms of practices? What is the main difference between liberal feminism and other types of feminism in terms of what they challenge? -Liberal feminism is reformist, believing gender imbalances can be overturned through democratic pressure Liberal feminists do not challenge the private/domestic sphere, arguing they should give men and women equal opportunity to stay at home or go to work or both. They do not believe a fundamental restructuring of society is needed. What do liberal feminists believe will happen once all barriers to women entering the workforce have been removed? -Women will enter all areas of industry. As women start doing traditional "men's" jobs, society will accept that there is no industry in which women cannot work. The more young girls see women in all types of jobs and positions, the sooner gender stereotypes will begin to disappear What do liberal feminists think about the patriarchy? -They reject the idea of patriarchy as the pervasive and systemic oppression of women, instead highlighting discrimination against women Summarise the socialist feminist view -They believe that gender inequality in society stems from economics (capitalism more specifically) What did Friedrich Engels argue about capitalism and patriarchy? -He noted that the move away from matriarchal societies toward patriarchal ones coincided with the arrival of capitalism and suggested women were oppressed mainly by capitalism In what 4 ways did Engels argue that women served the needs of capitalism? --Workers can be supported and looked after by unpaid workers to enable them to carry out a full day's work -Women confined to domestic, private sphere where their primary role was to take care of their husbands, have and raise children to become the next generation of workers and carers capitalism needed (reproducing the work force) -Women act as a reserve army of labour to be used in the workforce when needed and sent home when their usefulness was fulfilled -Capitalism was based on the accumulation of private property, assuring the paternity of their heirs was vital to men, so women were required to be virgins until marriage and remain monogamous