Feminist Theory 1

Feminism - 1. The movement for social, political, and economic equality of women and men 2. Feminism means that women have the right to enough information to make informed choices about their lives 3. Believe that changes made to advance gender equality will result in benefits to both women and men Major Strains of Feminism 1. Liberal - Primary source of women's oppression is gender role socialization. Men's social roles afforded more social status and power which leads to political, social, legal, and economic inequality. Major Strains of Feminism 2. Radical - Patriarchy and male dominance is central to women's oppression. Explains violence against women and women's offending. Major Strains of Feminism 3. Marxist - Women's oppression is due to their subordinate class status within a capitalist society. Women are more likely to occupy the working class instead of the ruling class. Women commit crimes to support themselves. Major Strains of Feminism 4. Socialist - The combination of class and patriarchy oppresses women. Major Strains of Feminism 5. Postmodern - Because women's experiences differ, feminist theory should reflect this.