Feminism key thinkers
Key thinkers
Simone de Beauvoir- 1908-1986- partner of Saître, who thought that
societal codes were oppressive and must be fought against to
discover individuality and essence. She wrote book called the
Second Sex (1950s).
1. She thought that women were characterised as different by
men. Seen as Other. Seen as homemakers, domesticity,
motherhood. She argued that the nurturing instinct isn’t
natural but learned and imposed by parents and schooling.
2. Right to choose own life ripped away. Need to escape drudgery
of marriage etc by giving education to women and the right to
make choices.
3. At first was socialist, until realised that women’s lives not
bettered by revolution. Publicly rescinded support for socialist
feminism.
4. Destroy nuclear family. Androgynous living.
bell hooks
feminism is for everyone, radical Black feminist. Intersectionality,
even across women different experiences of inequality. Men can
help. Patriarchy teaches women to hate themselves. Women
compete with each other for patriarchal approval, love their bodies.
Equal society. Patriarchy affects personal sphere too, in language.
Personal is political.
Sheila Rowbothame
Socialist feminist-
1. Criticised Marxism for only looking at how women serve the
needs of capitalism by making dinner for their husbands.
2. 1973 wrote ‘Women’s consciousness, men’s world’- ‘men will
say that other women are oppressed but not you’. Men are
complicit.
3. End capitalism, because tied in with the patriarchy. Believes
that women’s position improves after a socialist revolution-
Latin American examples.
4. Denied same opportunities as men. Need cultural revolution as
well as socialist revolutions.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Key thinkers
Simone de Beauvoir- 1908-1986- partner of Saître, who thought that
societal codes were oppressive and must be fought against to
discover individuality and essence. She wrote book called the
Second Sex (1950s).
1. She thought that women were characterised as different by
men. Seen as Other. Seen as homemakers, domesticity,
motherhood. She argued that the nurturing instinct isn’t
natural but learned and imposed by parents and schooling.
2. Right to choose own life ripped away. Need to escape drudgery
of marriage etc by giving education to women and the right to
make choices.
3. At first was socialist, until realised that women’s lives not
bettered by revolution. Publicly rescinded support for socialist
feminism.
4. Destroy nuclear family. Androgynous living.
bell hooks
feminism is for everyone, radical Black feminist. Intersectionality,
even across women different experiences of inequality. Men can
help. Patriarchy teaches women to hate themselves. Women
compete with each other for patriarchal approval, love their bodies.
Equal society. Patriarchy affects personal sphere too, in language.
Personal is political.
Sheila Rowbothame
Socialist feminist-
1. Criticised Marxism for only looking at how women serve the
needs of capitalism by making dinner for their husbands.
2. 1973 wrote ‘Women’s consciousness, men’s world’- ‘men will
say that other women are oppressed but not you’. Men are
complicit.
3. End capitalism, because tied in with the patriarchy. Believes
that women’s position improves after a socialist revolution-
Latin American examples.
4. Denied same opportunities as men. Need cultural revolution as
well as socialist revolutions.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
