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Feminism and the family - Coggle Diagram
Feminism and the family
Liberal
Agree that women have faced inequalities within the family, but they do not believe this is due to capitalism or men themselves.
Oakley: gender role socialisation transmits stereotypical gender roles in the family that restrict both men and women.
Legal and political reforms will help to break free fro, these roles. However, some women may choose these roles.
'March of progress' theory due to legal reform which has already taken place.
Introduction of the pill (1967) Abortion Act (1968)
Divorce Reform Act (1969 and 2020)
Sex discrimination act (1975) Equality Act (2010)
Catherine Hakim:
21st century, lifestyle and choices regarding work and the family have become highly a matter of individual preference for women.
Conducted a study in 2000 to find out which choice women were more likely to make: Home Centred- 20% Adaptive- 60% Work Centred- 20%
What has caused the change?
Contraceptive revolution, equal opportunities, more white collar occupations, secondary earner jobs and increasing importance of attitudes, values and personal preferences in lifestyle choices.
Jennifer Somerville (2000)
She looks at the progress which has been made within society and the fact that some women do not appreciate the progress which has been made.
She recognises that the idea of the traditional nuclear family will not disappear due to the fact that a heterosexual relationship works for many.
Evaluation:
Linda McKie and Samantha Callan (2012) argued that they have failed to deliver on the promises that they have made. When women become mothers this is the turning point for traditional families to be formed. `
Radical
Extremely critical of the nature of traditional family life, which is a form of patriarchal domination. Women are exploited and controlled by men, inside and outside the home.
Domestic labour: Women preform unpaid domestic labour which is invaluable to capitalism as it comes at no cost to them. (Delphy and Leonard) They will produce and rear the future generation. She also looks after her adult worker (husband) in good order. - Benston (1972)
Emotional labour: Wives rather than husbands who provide emotional support for their partners. Wives are more likely to listen, agree, sympathise, understand, excuse and flatter (Delphy and Leonard)
Economic dependency: Married women are often economically dependent on their husbands. Wife gives up work to care for the children. Mothers return to part-time rather than full-time employment to keep with with domestic work.
Male domination: Family is male dominated. Males get to keep control in decision making areas. Force can be used to get this control. Around 570,000 cases of domestic abuse are reported each year and rising.
Delphy and Leonard 'Familiar Exploitation' (1992)
Role of the family is to maintain male dominance in society
Women do the bulk of domestic labour
Men benefit from the unpaid work of women
Girls are socialised to become 'emotionally skilled'
Andrea Dworkin:
Did not think that men could be redeemed, through changing norms and values.
Marriage is patriarchal as the head of the household, marriage is developed from rape and male dominance.
Germaine Greer (2000).
Women as wives: idea of being a wife if the most important female role. The role is demanding from women.
Women as mothers: mothers bear children in pain, feed them from their bodies, cherish and nourish and prepare to lose them.
Women as daughters: females are likely to experience sexual abuse from male family members. An extension of male heterosexuality.
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Dobash and Dobash (1979)
Conducted research into domestic abuse. Violent incidents can be set off when a husband has his authority challenged. Marriage legitimates violence against women
Marxist
Marxists such as Engles and Zaretsky acknowledge that women are exploited in marriage and family life but they emphasise the link between capitalism and the family. Marxist Feminists look at the link between the patriarchy and capitalism.
Benston (1972): Family preforms set functions.
Replaces the labour force
Provides emotional and sexual satisfaction
Provide a reserve army of labour
Women are exploited due to their performance
Fran Ansley (1972): wives are 'takers of shit' they have to absorb the anger and frustration of their husbands.
Women provide a 'safety valve' to help in the 'stabilisation of adult personalities'. Wives help to reduce the effects of capitalism.
Criticisms:
Liberal: ignores the progress which has been made by activists.
Assumes a degree of positivity with women
Ignores family diversity
Focuses too much on the force of capitalism
Talk about the families with no regard to social class, ethnic groups, same-sex parents, lone parent households.
Morgan (1975) persepective assumes that the family is nuclear.
Tend to portray female family members as the passive victims of capitalist and patriarchal exploitation.
Hochschild (second shift):
Women have to preform a second shift with for filling the emotional and domestic work in the family.
Duncombe and Marsden (1995):
women preform a triple shift this includes paid employment, domestic work and the emotional work of the household.