Feminist Thinkers and Their Ideas

This section provides an overview of the key ideas of five influential feminist thinkers. It covers the contributions of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Simone de Beauvoir, Kate Millett, Sheila Rowbotham, and bell hooks, with reference to the main concepts of feminism, including otherness, equality and difference, and intersectionality.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935)

• Sex and Domestic Economics: Gilman argued that women’s economic dependence on men was rooted in domestic arrangements. She believed that, in order to survive, women were compelled to rely on their sexuality and bodies to please their husbands. This economic dynamic reinforced women’s subordinate position in society.
• Societal Pressure: Gilman highlighted how society conditions young girls from an early age. Through gendered toys and clothing, girls are socialised to prepare for motherhood and domestic roles, reinforcing traditional expectations and roles for women.

Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986)

• Sex versus Gender: De Beauvoir famously stated, ‘One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.’ She distinguished between biological sex and socially constructed gender roles, arguing that femininity is shaped by society rather than biology.
• Otherness: De Beauvoir explored the concept of ‘otherness’, suggesting that men are treated as the default or norm in society, while women are seen as the ‘other’; deviating from this standard and thus marginalised.

Kate Millett (1934–2017)

• The Family: Millett believed that dismantling the traditional family structure was crucial to achieving a true sexual revolution. She argued that the family perpetuated patriarchal values and reinforced women’s oppression.
• Portrayal of Women in Art and Literature: Millett analysed how patriarchal culture shaped literature and art, often resulting in the degradation of women. She exposed the ways in which cultural products contributed to the subjugation of women.

Sheila Rowbotham (1943– )

• Capitalism: Rowbotham contended that capitalism forced women to sell their labour in order to survive, while also requiring them to support their families. This double burden reinforced women’s exploitation within the economic system.
• The Family: She saw the family not only as a tool for disciplining women and subjecting them to capitalism, but also as a place where men sought refuge from the alienation caused by the capitalist economy.

bell hooks (1952–2021)

• Women of Colour: bell hooks brought the issues faced by women of colour into the mainstream feminist movement, highlighting that their experiences were often overlooked by mainstream feminism.
• Intersectionality: hooks critiqued the mainstream feminist movement for focusing primarily on the concerns of white, middle- and upper-class, college-educated women, and argued that it failed to address the intersecting issues of race, class, and gender that affect women of colour.

Key Terminology

Otherness: The idea that women are seen as fundamentally different from (and often inferior to) men, who are regarded as the societal norm.

Equality and Difference Feminism: Equality feminism seeks to achieve equality between men and women by challenging social and legal inequalities. Difference feminism emphasises the differences between men and women, often arguing for the recognition and valuing of women’s unique experiences and contributions.

Intersectionality: The concept that different aspects of identity (such as gender, race, class, and sexuality) intersect to create unique experiences of oppression or privilege.

Summary

These feminist thinkers have each contributed significantly to the development of feminist theory, addressing the ways in which society, culture, and economics shape the experiences of women. Understanding their key ideas is essential for a comprehensive grasp of the political ideas in the study of Politics.