How do feminists view the Family?

A woman’s role?  While Functionalists take a positive view of the family, Feminists take a critical view  They see families as having a negative impact on the lives of women  They do not believe that women are biologically suited to the role of housewife and mother  They believe that society has constructed this role for them  What does this mean?

Gender roles  If it is society that states that there is a clear difference in the roles men and women take in the family  Then how are these roles learned?  What do adverts tell us about gender roles in the family?  What do we learn from our own parents?

How do children learn their gender role?  Feminists would argue that families are active in promoting gender roles  Not just by the roles they portray but through the toys they provide  Also through the way children are dressed  And the way boys and girls are expected to behave

 A boy who is encouraged to help his father with home improvements  May grow up to think that this is a man’s role  A girl who sees her mother doing the cooking and cleaning  May grow up to think that this is a woman’s role  In this way families are responsible for preparing their children for gendered roles in society

Activity  Why did the adults treat the babies differently?  What does it say about how boys and girls are socialised in families?  What can you conclude from this experiment?

Who benefits from the family?  Feminists argue that families are an important tool in maintaining a PATRIARCHAL society  This is a society which is based on male dominance  Within the family structure the males benefit while the females lose out

Supporting research  Jesse Bernard (1982) suggested that marriage was much more beneficial for women than men  Research shows that men tend to need marriage much more than women  Married men tend to have much better physical and mental health than single men  However the opposite is true for women  Women rather than men also reported more unhappiness in their marriage and regret in marrying

Summary questions  How would feminists view the Warm Bath Theory?  Why are Feminists seen as critical of the family?  Do they think women are naturally suited to the role of housewife? Explain your answer  How does the family reinforce gender roles?  What is a patriarchal society?