Assess the Usefulness of Feminism and Feminist Research to an Understanding of Society.

Assess the usefulness of feminism and feminist research to an understanding of society.

Feminism is about gaining equal rights and opportunities for women, and allowing women to have control over their lives and bodies. At a time when women are sexualized and objectified in so many cultures, feminism is also about empowering women and young girls.

Feminism is such an important aspect of society since it has allowed women to have a voice where previously they have not and is one of the few theories that is actually transformative. Without question feminism has changed society beneficially since the first wave of feminism began in 1848.

Feminism has managed to achieve major breakthroughs in women's rights throughout the years such as the right to vote. The Suffragettes was formed in 1903 and was led by Emmeline Pankhurst and they were the group of people that fought vigorously to win women the right to vote in Britain. Women were not given the vote before the war. At the end of the war, in 1918, however, the Representation of the People Act gave women over 30 the vote, and in 1928 this was extended to all women over the age of 21. This is evidence of how the acts of women a century ago have managed to improve the rights of women which is incredibly useful as it has helped begin to remove societies patriarchy and give women equal rights. Oakley (1972) She claims sex differences are seen as fixed and gender differences vary between cultures and over time. Therefore what is considered a proper role for women in one society or at one time may be looked down upon in another. Sexist attitudes and stereotypical beliefs about gender are culturally constructed and transmitted through socialisation, meaning in order to achieve gender equality, liberal feminists must change society’s socialisation patterns. Eg. campaigning for new laws.

Liberal feminism is a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women that emphasizes the power of an individual...