Para Key Points Key Points
1 Three main types of feminism - liberal, Marxist + radical. Commented - experiences of being a woman, in
Radical feminism - 1970's onwards - distinctive theory, workplace, home + bedroom + look to under
explained continued subordination of women at every level, representation of women - gov, civil service +
despite achievement formal + legal equality. boardrooms.
Women's oppression - not just result inadequate political + Despite women only shortlists - 21% MPs = female,
legal system - due to men + domination ever society. Congress - 17% women.
Radical feminists - sex war rather than class war. 12% boardroom members -FTSE 100 companies -
Term describe this - patriarchy, focus on power throughout female.
society.
2 Radical feminists - Andrea Dworkin + Catherine MacKinnon - Link - language + power - Faucault + Dale Spender -
linked harassment + sexual abuse - pornography industry - language fashioned by men + reflects male dominance.
degrading women ,legitimising violent + invasive sexual Regular use - male terms 'he', 'his', 'man' + 'chairman'.
relations. Gives - notion 'male' is norm.
3 Biological differences - do not explain all observed Shed new light - established concepts - power,
differences in social status, role + behaviour - seen as social domination + equality - new sensitivity + language to
creation which lies in our power to remove. ideas - connection, voice + difference.
Gender = political construct, based - stereotypes - feminine + Natural differences - activities, physical attributes +
masculine behaviour. responses - men + women - not take as grounds for
Exposed + challenged gender biases which have been ignored assigning lower value - feminine attributes than we
- conventional political thought. assign to masculine.
Feminism - gained growing respectability - school of political Not urged to think identity - appearance in eyes +
thought. minds of men - respectable + fulfilling - associate own
sex as it could be for a man.
3 Socialist feminism - present position of women - explained in Liberal Feminism - commitment to individualism +
terms of capitalist economy. formal equality + characterised - quest equal rights +
Require women - bred for certain role - private property work opportunities in public + political life.
+ child rearing - necessary step on road elimination of Looks at personal interactions of men + women -
invidious sexual discrimination. starting ground to transform society - more gender
Elimination social + economic system - makes discrimination equitable place.
functionally necessary. Issues important - reproductive rights, abortion access,
Theory - derived from Marxism + highlights link - female sexual harassment, voting, education, fair
subordination + capitalist mode of production, drawing compensation for work, affordable
attention - economic significance of women - confined to childcare/healthcare + frequency of sexual + domestic
family/domestic life. violence.
Increasingly challenged - domestic, professional + public roles Work - eradication of institutional bias +
of women, in developed societies - undergone major implementation of better laws e.g. ERA in USA.
transformation.
4 Radical Feminism - beyond perspectives of established Political World - US: never been a female presidents
political traditions - portraying gender divisions - most out of 44 office holders thus far.
fundamental + politically significant cleavages in society. Never been - female VP, 1984 democrats - Geraldine
Call for radical, revolutionary, restructuring - personal, Ferraro + 2008 - Republicans Sarah Palin but both lost
domestic + family life. to rivals.
Proclaim - the personal is the political'. Madeleine Albright - 1st female US Secretary of State
Believe in status of women - not dependent upon but rather 1996 + Hillary Clinton 2009 - most recent.
far more fundamental than any economic system. Nancy Pelosi - speaker HOR 2008.
Argue - complete separatism - women seek society of their Sandra Day O'Connor - first ever female US S.C. justice
own sex to exclusion of others + lesbian relationships = norm. 1981.
Men used for spermatozoa, but not for companionship. 17% US Congress - female, compared 51% pop.
5 UK - Only 1 female PM - Thatcher 79-90. ONS data - UK median annual salary - FT employees
5/23 current Cabinet - female, Theresa May - Home Secretary 2010 - £25,900, up by 0.3% 2009 but men - £28,091
prestigious post. compared to £22,490 - difference 19.9%.
21% Parliament - female compared 50.5% - compares poor to Men UK - earned 10.2% more in FT hourly play, £13.01
other legislatures e.g. Dutch - 42% + Sweden 46%. compared - £11.68.
1/12 UK justices female - Lady Hale. Male directors large companies + organisation - 21%
NI - 81.5% male + 20/108 - female. more than female.
5/15 constituencies - no females MLA's. 2009 Wall Street - brokerage, Morgan Stanley - settled
4/13 ministers NI Exec. - female. sex discrimination suit - Equal Employment
Female MLA's per party - SF = 28%, Alliance = 25%, SDLP = Opportunity Commission - behalf of 300 female
21%, DUP = 13% + UUP = 12.5%. employees for $54 million.
Business World: 12% all directors - FTSE 100 companies - EEOC were told firm - withheld raises + desirable
female. assignments from women who took maternity leave.
CNN money - 2006 - 10 women running Fortune 500 Lead plaintiff said Morgan Stanley - condoned hostile
companies + 20/1000. All this despite - women starting more workplace men made sexist comments + organised
new businesses+ more women in workforce + more holding trips - topless bars + strip clubs.
degrees. Women - excluded from outings which included clients.
Eventually filing complaint to EEOC- sued the firm.
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