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Feminist sociology is a conflict theory and theoretical perspective which observes gender in its relation to power, both at the level of face-to-face interaction and reflexivity within a social structure at large. Focuses include sexual orientation, race, economic status, and nationality.

At the core of feminist sociology is the idea of the systematic oppression of women and the historical dominance of men within most societies: 'patriarchy'. Feminist thought has a rich history, however, which may be categorised into three 'waves'. The current, 'third wave', emphasizes the concepts of globalization, postcolonialism, post-structuralism and postmodernism. Contemporary feminist thought has frequently tended to do-away with all generalizations regarding sex and gender, closely linked with antihumanism, posthumanism, queer theory and the work of Michel Focault.

[edit] Language (English)

Certain words have become commonly attributed to each sex. This is a result of socialization and gender power structures and has no true basis in biology or gender differences.

Male versus Female

Aggressive versus Passive

Intelligent versus Ignorant

Outspoken versus Quiet

Emotionless versus Emotional

Strong versus Weak

Virile versus Virtuous

Detached versus Nurturing

This language affects not only everyday speech, but also finds its way into academic arenas such as science, which in turn creates a new type socialization that is potentially more dangerous due to its covert infiltration of an educational and academic setting that is supposed to be unbiased. A classic example of this is how the process of fertilization is commonly described in textbooks and other scientific sources of information. Cultural stereotypes about gender have affected and biased society’s ideas about the egg and the sperm. Writers of textbooks in the past have put the sperm on a hero’s quest to conquer, penetrate, and overpower the helpless and passive egg.^[1]

The feminist movement has been criticized in the past for catering to issue of primarily white, heterosexual, middle class women, ignoring the needs of women of color, lesbians and bisexuals, and women of lower class.^[2]

[edit] Heterosexism

At one point, heterosexual marriage was the only lawful union between two people that was recognized and given full benefits in the United States. This clearly put homosexual couples of both sexes at a disadvantage, making their relationships less valid in the eyes of the government than that of a relationship between a man and a woman.

States in the US regulate "many aspects of marriage law affecting the day to day lives of inhabitants of the United States are determined by the states, not the federal government, and the Defense of Marriage Act does not prevent individual states from defining marriage as they see fit."^{[citation needed]}

Massachusetts has recognized same-sex marriage since 2004. Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, California, and New Hampshire have created legal unions that, while not called marriages, are explicitly defined as offering all the rights and responsibilities of marriage under state law to same-sex couples. Maine, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, Oregon and Washington have created legal unions for same-sex couples that offer varying subsets of the rights and responsibilities of marriage under the laws of those jurisdictions.^[3]

[edit] Feminism and race

Women who suffer from oppression due to race may find themselves in a double bind. The relationship between feminism and race was largely overlooked until the second wave of feminists produced greater literature on the topic of 'black feminism'.

[edit] Feminist critiques of multiculturalism

Debates within ethnic relations, particularly regarding the opposing perspectives of assimilationism and multiculturalism, have led to the accusation that feminism is incompatible with multiculturalist policy. The remit of multiculturalism is to allow distinct cultures to reside in Western societies, or separate societies in general, and one possible consequence is that certain religious or traditional practises may negate Western feminist ideals. Central debates include the topics of arranged marriage and female genital mutilation. Others have argued that these debates stem from Western orientalism and general political reluctance to accept foreign migrants.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Martin, Emily "The Sperm and the Egg…" 1991
^ Haslanger, Sally "Gender and Race: What are they? What do we want them to be?" 2000.
^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States

[edit] Further reading

Abbott, Pamela and Claire Wallace (1990). An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives. London, UK; New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0415010365. OCLC 19887117.

Chafetz, Janet Saltzman (1990). Gender Equity: An Integrated Theory of Stability and Change. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 0803934017. OCLC 20131005.

Chambers, Clare (2008). Sex, Culture, and Justice: The Limits of Choice. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 9780271033013. OCLC 153772741.

Cudworth, Erika (2005). Developing Ecofeminist Theory: The Complexity of Difference. Basingstoke, England; New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403941157. OCLC 59098859.

Enns, Carolyn Zerbe and Ada L. Sinacore (2005). Teaching and Social Justice: Integrating Multicultural and Feminist Theories in the Classroom. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1591471672. OCLC 55625673.

Frye, Marilyn (1983). The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory. Trumansburg, NY: Crossing Press. ISBN 0895941007. OCLC 9323470.

Gottfried, Heidi (1996). Feminism and Social Change: Bridging Theory and Practice. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252021983. OCLC 32049514.

Hackett, Elizabeth and Sally Anne Haslanger (2006). Theorizing Feminisms: A Reader. New York, NY; Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195150090. OCLC 61703851.

Harlan, Judith (1998). Feminism: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 0874368944. OCLC 38438969.

Hekman, Susan J. (1996). Feminist Interpretations of Michel Foucault. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 9780271015842. OCLC 33665193.

Hekman, Susan J. (1992, 1990). Gender and Knowledge: Elements of a Postmodern Feminism. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press. ISBN 1555531296. OCLC 26683085.

Hekman, Susan J. (1995). Moral Voices, Moral Selves: Carol Gilligan and Feminist Moral Theory. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 0271014830. OCLC 32167823.

hooks, bell (2001). "Black Women: Shaping Feminist Theory". in Kum-Kum Bhavnani. Feminism and "Race". Oxford, England; New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198782365. OCLC 45136543.

hooks, bell (1984). Feminist Theory from Margin to Center. Boston, MA: South End Press. ISBN 0896082229. OCLC 10923867.

Kafer, Alison (2005). "Hiking Boots and Wheelchairs: Ecofeminism, the Body, and Physical Disability". in Barbara S. Andrew, Jean Keller, and Lisa H. Schwartzman (editors). Feminist Interventions in Ethics and Politics: Feminist Ethics and Social Theory. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 0742542688. OCLC 56840300.

Laslett, Barbara and Barrie Thorne (1997). Feminist Sociology: Life Histories of a Movement. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0813524288. OCLC 42329296.

Marshall, Barbara L. and Anne Witz (2004). Engendering the Social: Feminist Encounters with Sociological Theory. Maidenhead, England; New York, NY: Open University Press. ISBN 0335212700. OCLC 56527256.

Meagher, Sharon M. and Patrice DiQuinzio (2005). Women and Children First: Feminism, Rhetoric, and Public Policy. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 079146539X. OCLC 56903738.

Millett, Kate (2000, 1970). Sexual Politics. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252068890. OCLC 43207076.

Nason-Clark, Nancy and Mary Jo Neitz (2001). Feminist Narratives and the Sociology of Religion. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. ISBN 0759101981. OCLC 47718005.

Okin, Susan Moller, Joshua Cohen, Matthew Howard, and Martha Craven Nussbaum (1999). Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691004315. OCLC 40869793.

Rege, Sharmila (2003). Sociology of Gender: The Challenge of Feminist Sociological Knowledge. New Delhi, India; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 0761997040. OCLC 51203874.

Scales, Ann (2006). Legal Feminism: Activism, Lawyering, and Legal Theory. New York, NY: New York University Press. ISBN 0814798454. OCLC 62766074.

Smart, Carol (1989). Feminism and the Power of Law. London, UK; New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0415038812. OCLC 19126063.

Wallace, Ruth A. (1989). Feminism and Sociological Theory. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 0803933975. OCLC 19777800.

[0] Martin, Emily "The Sperm and the Egg…" 1991

[autogenerated2-1] Haslanger, Sally "Gender and Race: What are they? What do we want them to be?" 2000.

[2] ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States

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