Difference feminism: Emphasizes women’s difference/uniqueness and traditionally “feminine” characteristics; argues that more

value should be placed on these qualities.

Difference Feminists see women as all being separate homogenous groups. This means that they argue that working class and middle
class women, white and black women, heterosexual and lesbian women will all have different views and experiences of society, be it
patriarchy, homophobia, racism or capitalism.

Key arguments (against other feminists):

§ The main argument of difference feminists is that other feminists fail to take into account the different levels of oppression
according to ethnic group.

Criticisms:
§ They focus too much on difference and ignore the similarities of women when facing harassment.

Difference feminists:
Carol Gilligan is a difference feminist who believes in a psychological difference between men and women. She believes that men
think more about justice and women think more about relationships, and she wants both to be viewed as equal in western society.

Liberal feminism: Focuses on working within institutions to gain equality for women (e.g., the vote, equal protection under the law)
but does not focus on changing the entire institution (e.g., doing away with government). They primarily focus on women’s ability to
show and maintain their equality through their own actions and choices and they are often at odds with radical feminism.
Their beliefs:
§ The way to achieve equality is to change law, not through the use of violence

§ They want a cultural change so there are no stereotypes (equal pay act and employment law changes)

§ They believe that men are wrong when they say that there are biological difference between them and women that make them more
competent. Liberal feminists believe that it is a culturally constructed view.

§ Ann Oakley (1972) distinguished the difference between gender and sex. Sex is a biological difference; gender is socially
constructed

§ They hold the Optimistic Theory: we are gradually leading to more rational views about gender; there should be political action to
introduce discriminatory laws and, if this is achieved, we will have a fairer society where people are no longer judged on their gender

Criticisms:
§ Liberal feminists criticise Functionalists for they dislike that they distinguish between different roles (i.e. Males have the
instrumental role and are the breadwinner and females have the expressive role and perform domestic tasks. This breeds unequal
conjugal roles)

§ Marxist Feminists say that Liberal Feminists ignore Capitalism

§ Radical Feminists say that they are not pushing hard enough for reformation

Marxist/socialist feminism: Attributes women’s oppression to a capitalist economy and the private property system (blames classism
for women’s oppression rather than sexism). Argues that capitalism must be overthrown if the oppression of women is to end. Draws
parallels between women and “workers” and emphasizes collective change rather than individual change. Alienation happens because
women are segregated in the home and men have more opportunity and experience, which breeds unhappiness in women.
Views on family:
§ Male dominance is the result of class division between men who own property (bourgeoisie) and women who do not (proletariat)

§ If wives are to become emancipated from their husbands, they must gain financial stability first and become economically
independent

Views on labour:
§ Believe that women workers are exploited more than men

§ They desire domestic tasks to be viewed as work

§ Some believe domestic labour should be socialised

§ They have the Wages-For-Housework campaign

Radical feminism: Cutting-edge branch of feminism focused on sweeping social reforms, social change, and revolution. Argues
against institutions like patriarchy, heterosexism, and racism and instead emphasizes gender as a social construction, denouncing
biological roots of gender difference. Often paves the way for other branches of feminism.
They emphasize the patriarchal roots between men and women and the social dominance of men. They view patriarchy as dividing
rights, privileges and power primarily by gender and, as a result, women are oppressed and men are privileged.

They imply that the institutions of male rule are privilege depend on the subordination of women. Men control property and families,
oppressing women. They want a major reform in society so that gender roles and patriarchy do not exist.

Three solutions to free women:

§ Separatism: men oppress women at home. Women should live alone and create a new culture of female independence

§ Consciousness raising: raise problems in women-only groups which can result in collective action (e.g. marches)

§ Political lesbianism: heterosexual relationships are oppressive as you are ‘sleeping with the enemy’ so lesbian relationships are
advocated

Black Feminism: School of thought which argues that sexism, class oppression, gender identity and racism are inextricably bound
together. The way these concepts relate to each other is called intersectionality. The term intersectionality theory was first coined by
legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989.In her work, Crenshaw discussed Black feminism, which argues that the experience of being
a black woman cannot be understood in terms of being black or of being a woman. Each concept is considered independently, but
must include the interactions, which frequently reinforce each other. The Combahee River Collective argued in 1974 that the
liberation of black women entails freedom for all people, since it would require the end of racism, sexism, and class oppression.

Cultural Feminism: Cultural feminism emphasizes essential differences between men and women in terms of biology, personality
and behavior. Women are seen to have different and superior virtues that provide the foundation for a shared identity, solidarity and
sisterhood. Since by nature women are viewed as kinder and gentler than men, it follows that if women were in power, the world
would be a better place. In the 1960s and 70s, some women supported the idea of forming separate women-only cultures.

Eco-Feminism: This form of feminism views patriarchy and its focus on control and domination not only as a source of women’s
oppression but as being harmful to humanity as well as destructive of all living creatures and the earth itself. Combining a more
comprehensive analysis of power often with a greater spiritual vision, eco-feminists see women’s rights and empowerment linked to
political, economic, social and cultural factors that benefit all living creatures and Mother Nature herself.

Transnational or Global Feminism: This approach to feminism is concerned mainly about how globalization and capitalism affect
people across nationalities, races, ethnicities, genders, classes, and sexualities and has reinforced a range of global movements. It
recognizes inequalities across different groups of women and the importance of intersectionality as a way to understand and engage
difference. While global issues do not affect women in the same way because of these differences, the impact of these issues and
power dynamics are seen to be crucial to feminist social justice agendas. This vision understands the need for comprehensive
approaches that integrate multiple issues and movements to find common cause across agendas to ensure long-term social
transformation.

Visionary feminism: The notion of visionary feminism, as seen in the many writings of the African-American feminist, bell hooks,
combines the need to challenge patriarchy, class, race and other forms of oppression such as imperialism and corporate control. She
also focuses on love and the role of men. “Visionary feminism is a wise and loving politics. It is rooted in the love of male and female
being. . . The soul of feminist politics is the commitment to ending patriarchal domination of women and men, girls and boys. Love
cannot exist in any relationship that is based on domination and coercion. Males cannot love themselves in patriarchal culture if their
very self-definition relies on submission to patriarchal rules. When men embrace feminist thinking and practice, which emphasizes the
value of mutual growth and selfactualization in all relationships, their emotional well-being will be enhanced. A genuine feminist
politics always brings us from bondage to freedom, from loveless-ness to loving.”

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262. AN ACT DEFINING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, PROVIDING
FOR PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR VICTIMS, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFORE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Section 1. Short Title.- This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004."