1. Patriarchy and Radical Feminism
Week 9
Gender and Society

2. Recap Social construction of gender
Look at social structures such as media, work and education
Considered Liberal and socialist feminism
Introduced patriarchy as a form of oppression

3. Outline Main points of radical feminism
Definitions/critiques of patriarchy
Universalism and
Essentialism

4. Radical feminism
Radical feminism is often the one in public imagination
Women oppressed as women
Key sites of oppression
Family and personal relationships
Sexuality

5. Gendered power
Male power needs to be recognised and understood in all its forms
Male oppression has primacy over other forms of oppression
Violence is a key part in maintaining male dominance

6. Violence against women
Not random acts by a few men but a key element in male power
Violence and/or threats of violence are used to control women
Sexual violence is a continuum
Domestic violence, sexual harassment, pornography, prostitution, rape etc are all linked

7. Continuum of sexual violence
‘The continuum of sexual violence ranges from extensions of the myriad forms of sexism women encounter everyday through to the all too frequent murder of women and girls by men’
Kelly L (1988) Surviving Sexual Violence Minnesota. p97

8. Domestic violence in the UK
One in four women will be assaulted by a male partner
On average two women per week are killed by a male partner or former partner
One incident of domestic violence is reported to the police every minute
Over a third of all female murder victims are killed by a current or former partner
Wilcox P (2005) Understanding Domestic Violence Routledge

9. Rape on Trial 1 in 4 women suffer rape or attempted rape.
97% of callers to rape crisis centres knew their assailant (usually they are current/ex-husbands/ partners)
Less than 7% had reported the assault to the police
Only 5% of rapes reported to the police end up in a conviction
Lees S (1996) Carnal Knowledge Penguin

10. Restricted movements Women are expected to restrict their lives
‘Women have been warned not to go out alone after dark after a series of three rapes and two abduction attempts in the same town over 10 days’. (Northampton Times 10/09/05)
Women are expected
to restrict their lives
Why are men asked to stay in,
so as not to be a threat to
women?

11. Sexual Exploitation
Radical feminism believes that prostitution, pornography and similar sexualised events are always exploitative
All sexualised treatment of women
reinforces male power

12. Continuum of Violence
Radical feminists do not claim that all men are violent towards women
But all men benefit from the threat of violence posed by some men
The risk means that women may become dependant on male protection

13. Continuum of violence?
To what extend do you think it is useful to think of violence against women as a continuum?

14. Patriarchy defined Different definitions:
Millet - Universal system of male dominance
Walby – Six main social structures
Family Work
State Violence
Sexuality Culture

15. The family system
For Millet, patriarchy is a socially conditioned belief system which appears to be natural.
It arises from and is reinforced by the perpetuation of heterosexual family
The ideals of romantic love helps men to exploit and undermine women

16. Walby’s Social Structures
Family
Male breadwinner/female homemaker
Work
vertical and horizontal segregation
State
Laws supporting male power
Sexuality
Compulsory heterosexuality
Violence
Actual or threats
Culture
Support though literature and media

17. Patriarchal State
For radical feminism, male dominance is also supported by a patriarchal state
Crimes against women not taken seriously
Things are improving
Rape now recognised in marriage
Domestic violence taken more seriously
Some problems remain
Immigration requirements can mean women have to choose between violence or deportation

18. How do you think the different elements support or undermine each other? Discuss this with you neighbour.

19. Universalism Universal oppression lead to ideas of ‘sisterhood’
Women’s shared position
as oppressed
Stressed similarities
between women
Women’s experience key
to gaining understanding

20. Essentialism
Focus on women’s shared experiences risk risks being essentialist
Valorising mothers as caring risks
returning to biological-reductionism
Danger of overlooking the differences
between women

21. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of seeing women as a social group with common interests.

22. Radical feminist activism
Rape crisis centres
Refuge movement
Women’s health movement
Women’s peace movement

23. Feminist Activism
Southall Black Sisters

24. Public and Private
Liberal feminism concentrates on the public sphere and formal equality
Socialist feminism looks at both the public and private spheres
Radical feminism concentrates on the private sphere

25. Summary Patriarchy is the key concept for radical feminism
Feminist activism
Reproductive rights
Violence against women
Dangers of universalism and essentialism