Gender inequality 40 mark plan:
Point 1: Functionalism
AO2:
Believes that gender differences exists as a way of fulfilling different
roles in society - sex role theory - so women are concerned with
domesticity and men are concerned with being breadwinners
Biological theories of male dominance - women are the “weaker”
sex and that their reproductive functions and the ability to bear
children make them unable/unfit for a life outside of the home
For Functionalists, gender differences are an efficient way of
ensuring that all the basic needs of society are being met and that
society remains stables and predictable
AO3:
Walby’s triple systems theory: society creates and maintains various
types of inequality - class, race and gender
Therefore, we have to understand how these types of inequality can
intersect with each other e.g. black feminists
Capitalism, racism and patriarchy are maintained through
subordination, oppression and exploitation
Feminism - because Functionalism sees gender differences as being
good for society, the genuine inequality that affects women is seen
as “natural.” Thus, gender differences became institutionalised in
society
Liberal/Marxist Feminists: the Functionalist view prevents women
from actively participating in society outside of the home, so it
accepts discriminatory practice in politics and the workplace
Radical Feminists: the suppression of women within the family is
overlooked, so male violence against women is not challenged, but
seen as somehow justified
Connell: the Functionalist view of men as active, aggressive and
political mean that many men feel that their emotional side must be
suppressed, leading to emotional problems
Point 2: Marxism
AO2:
Marx argued that women’s position in society could be used as a
measure of the development of a whole society
Engels: wrote about the role of the family in supporting capitalism
and argued strongly for the liberation of women from the home
He believed women had become imprisoned in domestic labour
when men first owned property, and wished to ensure that the
children to whom they would pass their wealth were their own
The rules of marriage were created to control female sexuality and
benefit males
Benson/Ansley: women are “takers of shit”
Zaretsky: the family supports capitalism, because the home was a
place of refuge for men who experienced misery at work
Point 1: Functionalism
AO2:
Believes that gender differences exists as a way of fulfilling different
roles in society - sex role theory - so women are concerned with
domesticity and men are concerned with being breadwinners
Biological theories of male dominance - women are the “weaker”
sex and that their reproductive functions and the ability to bear
children make them unable/unfit for a life outside of the home
For Functionalists, gender differences are an efficient way of
ensuring that all the basic needs of society are being met and that
society remains stables and predictable
AO3:
Walby’s triple systems theory: society creates and maintains various
types of inequality - class, race and gender
Therefore, we have to understand how these types of inequality can
intersect with each other e.g. black feminists
Capitalism, racism and patriarchy are maintained through
subordination, oppression and exploitation
Feminism - because Functionalism sees gender differences as being
good for society, the genuine inequality that affects women is seen
as “natural.” Thus, gender differences became institutionalised in
society
Liberal/Marxist Feminists: the Functionalist view prevents women
from actively participating in society outside of the home, so it
accepts discriminatory practice in politics and the workplace
Radical Feminists: the suppression of women within the family is
overlooked, so male violence against women is not challenged, but
seen as somehow justified
Connell: the Functionalist view of men as active, aggressive and
political mean that many men feel that their emotional side must be
suppressed, leading to emotional problems
Point 2: Marxism
AO2:
Marx argued that women’s position in society could be used as a
measure of the development of a whole society
Engels: wrote about the role of the family in supporting capitalism
and argued strongly for the liberation of women from the home
He believed women had become imprisoned in domestic labour
when men first owned property, and wished to ensure that the
children to whom they would pass their wealth were their own
The rules of marriage were created to control female sexuality and
benefit males
Benson/Ansley: women are “takers of shit”
Zaretsky: the family supports capitalism, because the home was a
place of refuge for men who experienced misery at work
