♥Sociological Perspectives on the Family| Feminism♥

Feminists are a branch of conflict sociologists who believe that the family is unequal and oppresses women, this unequal treatment is created by society- especially patriarchy. There are four main types of feminists all with similar and contrasting views on the functions of the family.

Liberal Feminists

This branch of feminists is concerned about the discrimination equal pay and opportunities for women.

• They argue that women's oppression is gradually changing due to a change in the attitudes of society and introduction of laws such as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 which states that discrimination of the sexes at work is illegal.
• They also believe that there is a gradual step towards equality of both sexes however this is a very small fragment in society which is dependent on further reforms, changes in socialisation patterns and introduction of  laws.
• They argue that in the family full gender equality has not yet been achieved, studies suggest that men are actually doing more work at home and the way we are socialised is now become more equal than in the past.
• However liberal feminists are often criticised by other feminists for failing to see the causes for women's oppression and believe that changes in attitudes will be enough to bring equality however Marxist feminists and radical feminists would suggest that only changes in the deep-set social structures,

Marxist Feminist

This branch of feminists argue that the main cause of women's oppression is not men however its Capitalism. 

Women fulfil capitalists functions by:

• women reproduce the labour force- through the unpaid domestic labour, socialising and maintaining current and future generations.

Women absorb men's anger that would other wise be directed at the capitalist society.

• Ansley(1972) describes wives as takers of s#@t who soak up husbands frustrations  because of the alienation and exploitation they take at work. Marxist feminist say that therefore this is the reason for why domestic violence occurs,

Women are a reserve army for cheap labour. Women are usually taken on by employers when extra workers are needed but then employers let them go to return to their primary role of domestic work at home which is free,

Marxist feminists therefore see the oppression women experience as a product of the alienation and exploitation they face by being in the working class. They argue that the family should be abolished and be replaced by a class less society, 

Radical Feminists

Radical feminists argue that societies are founded by the basic principle of patriarchy ( society being run and dominated by by males, which is why there is such a distinct division in society between men and women.

Radical feminists believe that:

• men are the enemy and they are the cause of women's oppression  and exploitation in the society and family
• Family and marriage are key institutions in patriarchal society. Men benefit from women's unpaid work domestic work, sexual services and dominate women through the use or the threat of domestic violence.

RF argue that the way out of women's oppression especially one created by the family is to abolish the family and live through separatism- this is where women would organise them selves to live independent from men. 

Many RF also argue for Political Lesbianism and suggest that heterosexual relationships are oppressive because of the fact women are sleeping with the enemy 

Greer (2000) argues for the creation of matrilocal households (all female) as an alternative to a heterosexual families in order to combat the oppression created by the family. 

LF Somerville(2000) argues that RF fail to recognise that women's position in the society has drastically improved- women are now entitled to better access to divorce, better job opportunities, birth control and the ability to choose whether to be married or to cohabit. Separatism is unlikely to work due to heterosexual attraction which makes it unlikely for the traditional nuclear family to disappear. However Somerville does recognise that women are yet to achieve full equality, so there is a need for family friendly policies such as flexible working or in fact changes in the paternity pay would immensely increase the equality between sexes

Difference Feminists

DF believe that we cant generalise women's experience of family life in the same way. They argue that for example lesbian and heterosexual women,  white and black women , middle and working class women etc, all view the family and have had different experience of the family 

For example Black Feminists would argue that the family is a very positive environment as white feminists fail to see the racial oppression created by society so the family helps black women stay away and resist this racial oppression,

However other feminists would argue that this approach neglects despite individual differences such as the ones listed above women still tend to experience the same experiences in relation to the family for example women are more likely to face domestic violence and sexual assault this is not to say that men don't face this at all, other issues such low pay etc,