Assess the Contribution of Feminist Theories to Our Understanding of the Family.

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8th October 2012 Sociology: exam practise Assess the contribution of feminist theories to our understanding of the family. Feminism is the movement that fights against woman suppression, they believe that the gender inequality is not natural, inevitable or biological but rather it is something that is created by society. Feminists have different theories as to what is the reason behind the treatment of females. Radical feminists say that all societies are founded by patriarchal families and they believe that in this family structure the men benefit from the woman’s domestic and sexual services. It is thought that in a patriarchal society domestic violence against a woman by a man is inevitable as men like to prove their control. Radical feminists believe that for patriarchy to be abolished, which it should, then women must separate themselves from men, for example, they suggest ‘political lesbianism’ as to have heterosexual relationships it involves ‘sleeping with the enemy’, this male dominance over woman may be the reason there is an increase of same- sex and matriarchal families as men are no longer apart of the family structure. There is proof that this theory is based on truth as men and women are not equal, for example, men get higher wages in several jobs however, there is also issues other feminists and theorists have which is that females can also be abusive to the people surrounding them and it ignores the other factors for violence such as financial stress or mental health problems therefore domestic violence is not necessarily a way of gaining control. Marxists Feminists argue that men are not the main cause of women’s suppression but rather that capitalism is as it uses women to perform the jobs and services they need. This is because women as said to a ‘reserve army’ of cheap labour as they are taken on when extra workers or needed and then
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