LIBERAL FEMINISM

INDRAJIT KAR (059), BA Hons. English

Liberal Feminist Theory can be explained by examining the term theory

first. Owens (1994) defines theory as a thought process or way of thinking
about reality which becomes a model of that reality. There are at least two
important ideas that come out of the definition of the term theory by
Owens (1994). These are firstly, a theory is a thought process that guides
us, and secondly, it can be used to explain practice and action taken.
Within this context Liberal Feminist Theory can be explained as an
individualistic form which concentrates on women having their equality
through being responsible for their actions and choices (Brookes, 2008).
On a similar note, Giddens (2001:692) defines liberal theory as a feminist
theory that believes gender inequality is produced by reduced access for
women and girls to civil rights and allocation of social resources such as
education and employment. From the two definitions above it can be
noted that the liberal feminist theory acknowledges the existence of
disparities in society that are gender related, but the onus is on the
individuals affected to improve their situation. Inequality and oppression in
society have been explained using different theories. These theories
include the Liberal Feminism, Marxist Feminism, Radical Feminism and
Socialist Feminism. These different theories have been used to explain
gender inequality. All the theories are based on the rationale that
organisation of society has contributed to inequality between women and
men and such inequality has contributed to women and girls having less
access to power, economic empowerment, lower social status and
generally limited opportunities than men and boys. Whilst they generally
agree on this notion, the theorists differ on the approaches that can be
employed to deal with issues of gender related inequality and oppression.
It is individualistic in nature and focuses on womens ability to maintain
their equality through their own actions and choices. Liberal feminists
argue that society holds the false belief that women are, by nature, less
intellectually and physically capable than men; thus it tends to
discriminate against women in the academy, the forum, and the
marketplace. Liberal feminists believe that "female subordination is rooted
in a set of customary and legal constraints that blocks womens entrance
to and success in the so-called public world". They strive for sexual
equality via political and legal reform. The Liberal Feminist Theory is
premised around a number of assumptions. These premises are based
on the understanding that individual ignorance has contributed to gender
prejudice. In order to address this prejudice the affected individual has to
take action. Education is therefore seen as a variable that can be used to
improve the situation. Liberal feminists are also concerned with equal
rights and freedom of the individual. If there are to be reforms, such
reforms have to be gradually introduced without upsetting the status quo.
Liberal Feminists have moderate aims, their views do not radically
challenge the existing values and as such they aim for gradual change in
the political, economic and social system (Haralambos and Holborn,
2008). Gender disparities are therefore attributed to a number of factors.
Such factors include culture and the way men and women are socialised
within that culture. The other factors are closely related to the attitudes of
the individual. All these can be changed through empowerment and
education. In essence, liberal feminism is for gradual reforms through
advocacy for equal rights for all, and laws and policies that promote
equality. It was trying to gain womens suffrage under the idea that they
would then gain individual liberty. They were bothered about gaining
freedom through equality and gaining the freedom to opportunities to
become full persons. They believed that no government or custom should
prohibit the exercise of personal freedom. Early liberal feminists had to
counter the assumption that only white men deserved to be full citizens.
In a nutshell, some of the goals and objectives of liberal feminism in all
are; it perceives and is perceivable through the lens of gender and
gender equality, there is an emphasis on traditional understanding of
human nature and personhood: rationality, individual autonomy, self-
fulfillment (characteristics possessed by all), pointing out sex and gender
are neutral; all human beings possess a common nature; it aims to
achieve a just society is a society that allows individuals to exercise their
freedom and fulfill themselves; emphasis on equality of opportunity: all
persons deserve an equal chance to develop their rational and moral
capacities so that they can achieve personhood; because society has the
false belief that women are by nature less intellectually and physically
capable than men it excludes women from many opportunities and the
true potential of women goes unfulfilled; liberal feminists argue that
women share the same rational human nature men do and so should be
given the same educational opportunities and civil rights as men are
given; the prime goal then comes out to be of womens liberation is
freeing women from oppressive gender roles: sexual and gender equality
but worth noting is the fact that the main problem of liberal feminism is its
tendency to accept male values as universal values. All women should
want to become like men, to aspire to masculine values. Liberal feminism
often did not include an analysis of class or sexuality (the sex/gender
system).
There are many factors that inhibit full participation of women in politics
and development. One of the factors is male chauvinism that manifests
itself in different facets of life. Whilst a lot of countries have made notable
progress in terms of policy and legislation as advocated by Liberal
Feminists, the legal, socio-economic and political status of women more
so in the developing countries has remained relatively low (UNFPA,
2011). According to the 1998 Human Development Report the developing
countries remain a highly unequal society as a result of ignorance of
the law, their administration, economic hardships that make it difficult to
pursue their legal rights, cumbersome court procedures, customary laws
and fear of breaking valued relations with family kin. Apart from the
factors noted above, the structures in place tend to reinforce gender
stereotype. Participation of women in politics is influenced by such factors
as culture, religion and gender stereotypes in both men and women. On
the other hand, the conditions and processes that are involved also
demonstrate inadequacy in the representation of women right from the
selection stage. Taylor (1992) as cited by Gutsa et al (2011) noted that the
private sphere which is dominated by housework, child care and all other
related undervalued tasks at home are commonly reserved for women,
whilst those in the public sphere such as power, status and money are
dominated by men. Weiner (1994) also notes that sexual inequality is
caused by such factors as prejudice of parents and society in general,
traditional values and structural barriers. Weiner (1994) is of the view that
sexual inequalities in education and other sectors of the socio-economic
spectrum can be overcome by raising awareness through training and
schooling and the enactment of laws that support equality. It is hoped that
education and training will change the stereotypes that exist in society.
This requires conceited efforts to improve the participation of women in
such areas as politics and development. Such education and training
should improve the socialization process of both women and men. There
have been great efforts to give equal opportunities to boys and girls at
school. The same can be said in terms of equality at the work place and
at home. Laws have been put in place to support the participation of girls
and women in all spheres of society. Whilst education can help change
attitudes and perceptions, the Liberal Feminist Theory has limitations
when it comes to political change. This may be due to the theorys failure
to upset the status quo and the changes it initiates might be limited in
scope. It may be concluded that the Liberal Feminist Theory is quite
applicable to the primary school, thus in terms of the Acts that are
generated to support equality, justice and fairness in education. However,
there have been limitations to the achievement of equality and equity in
education and other areas such as politics and development. This is due
to many factors that include the stereotypes found in society and the
socialisation process that has to be changed through education and
training. There may be need for radical reform, to support legislation as
advocated by liberal feminism. Popular feminist writers associated with
this theory are Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Helen Taylor;
Second Wave feminists Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem; and Third
Wave feminist Rebecca Walker. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the
most influential women in first wave feminism. An American social activist,
she was instrumental in orchestrating the Seneca Falls Convention, the
first women's rights convention, which was held in Seneca Falls, New
York. Not only was the suffragist movement important to Stanton, she
also was involved in women's parental and custody rights, divorce laws,
birth control, employment and income rights, among others. Her partner
in this movement was the equally influential Susan B. Anthony. Critics of
liberal feminism argue that its individualist assumptions make it difficult to
see the ways in which underlying social structures and values
disadvantage women. They argue that even if women are not dependent
upon individual men, they are still dependent upon a patriarchal state.
These critics believe that institutional changes like the introduction of
women's suffrage are insufficient to emancipate women. One of the more
prevalent critiques of liberal feminism is that it, as a study, allows too
much of its focus to fall on a "metamorphosis" of women into men, and in
doing so, disregards the significance of the traditional role of women.
Liberal feminism focuses on the individual, and in doing so, discredits the
importance of the community. A historical critique of liberal feminism
focuses on its racist, classist and heterosexist past. One of the leading
scholars who have critiqued liberal feminism is radical feminist Catherine
A. MacKinnon. Catherine A. MacKinnon is an American lawyer, writer and
social activist. Specializing in issues regarding sex equality, she has been
intimately involved in the case regarding the definition of sexual
harassment and sex discrimination. She, among other leading scholars,
view liberalism and feminism as incompatible because liberalism offers
women a, piece of the pie as currently and poisonously baked. Other
critics such as black feminists and postcolonial feminists assert that
mainstream liberal feminism reflects only the values of middle-class,
heterosexual, white women and has largely ignored women of different
races, cultures or classes. Some argue that liberal feminisms run the risk
of being insufficiently liberal. Measures intended to promote gender
fairness and the autonomy of women could end up unreasonably
hindering autonomy (Cudd 2006, 223). Some argue that Susan Okin's
claim that the state should be guided by an egalitarian ideal of family life
is an example of such a measure. Other measures recommended by
liberal feminists that some hold may be illiberal include quotas on party
slates or in elected bodies (Peters 2006), and bans on violent
pornography.
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