Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-3-feminist-views-of-families

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [Sociology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa.md) › Feminist Views of Families

# Feminist Views of Families

Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 2.5.3

## Feminist Views of Families

Feminists believe that conjugal roles aren’t equal. Feminists argue that steps towards men undertaking the expressive role are small and that women still do most of the housework and childcare.

### Radical feminists

![Radical feminists](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/37fcd722-d855-4782-b566-3eeb736e88f1/stressed-woman-stressing.jpg)

- Delphy and Leonard are feminists who argue that women are exploited by men.
- They explain this by acknowledging that family is male-dominated and therefore men have more power in decision-making. 
- As a result, women might suffer from the dual burden (doing household chores and paid job) or the triple shift (doing housework, paid work and offering emotional support or caring for the elderly).

### Key Study

![Key Study](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/c6d711b3-8d4b-45d5-8d35-5c1e88292659/mum-cooking-bored.jpg)

- 'Familiar Exploitation' is a key study published by feminists Delphy and Leonard in 1992.
- The study says that:
 - Men benefit from women’s labour.
 - Family is responsible for perpetuating patriarchy.
 - Women are oppressed because they have to carry out tasks at home after coming back from work (dual burden).
 - All the while, men don’t make equal contributions to domestic chores.

### Evaluating feminist ideas

![Evaluating feminist ideas](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/2b39fdf9-9659-4db2-8a10-65f510b7c687/mum-daughter-bench.jpg)

- According to functionalists, feminists ignore the positive aspects of the family.
- According to functionalists, feminists don’t recognise that there might be women who enjoy being housewives and caregivers.

## Test yourself on Feminist Views of Families

- In which year did feminists Delphy and Leonard publish 'Familiar Exploitation'?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/31b5a110-bffe-4156-a620-495a430ceed1/section/1d76b6ec-1a2e-473d-a6a7-8557c3261e16/session)

- Previous topic: [2.5.2 Marxist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-2-marxist-views-of-families.md)
- Next topic: [2.5.4 Declining Marriage Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-4-declining-marriage-rate.md)

## Sociology: AQA GCSE contents

### 1 The Sociological Approach
- 1.1 Introduction to Sociology
  - [1.1.1 What is Sociology?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-1-what-is-sociology.md)
  - [1.1.2 Culture & Socialisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-2-culture-and-socialisation.md)
- 1.2 Sociological Approaches
  - [1.2.1 Marxism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-1-marxism.md)
  - [1.2.2 Marxism 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-2-marxism-2.md)
  - [1.2.3 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-3-functionalism.md)
  - [1.2.4 Feminism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-4-feminism.md)
- 1.3 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
  - [1.3.1 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-1-the-consensus-vs-conflict-debate.md)
  - [1.3.2 End of Topic Test - The Sociological Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-2-end-of-topic-test-the-sociological-approach.md)

### 2 Families
- 2.1 Functions of Families
  - [2.1.1 Functionalist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-1-functionalist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.2 Marxist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-2-marxist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.3 Feminist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-3-feminist-views-on-family.md)
- 2.2 Family Forms
  - [2.2.1 What is a Family?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-1-what-is-a-family.md)
  - [2.2.2 Nuclear Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-2-nuclear-family.md)
  - [2.2.3 Families in a Global Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-3-families-in-a-global-context.md)
  - [2.2.4 The Rapoports & Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-4-the-rapoports-and-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.5 Causes of Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-5-causes-of-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.6 End of Topic Test - Family Forms](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-6-end-of-topic-test-family-forms.md)
- 2.3 Conjugal Role Relationships
  - [2.3.1 Conjugal Roles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-3-1-conjugal-roles.md)
- 2.4 Changing Relationships Within Families
  - [2.4.1 Timeline](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-1-timeline.md)
  - [2.4.2 Domestic Abuse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-2-domestic-abuse.md)
  - [2.4.3 Symmetrical Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-3-symmetrical-family.md)
- 2.5 Criticisms of Families
  - [2.5.1 Functionalist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-1-functionalist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.2 Marxist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-2-marxist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.3 Feminist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-3-feminist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.4 Declining Marriage Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-4-declining-marriage-rate.md)
  - [2.5.5 End of Topic Test - Criticisms of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-5-end-of-topic-test-criticisms-of-families.md)
- 2.6 Divorce
  - [2.6.1 Reasons For Rise in Divorce Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-1-reasons-for-rise-in-divorce-rate.md)
  - [2.6.2 Consequences of Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-2-consequences-of-divorce.md)
  - [2.6.3 Functionalist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-3-functionalist-views.md)
  - [2.6.4 Marxist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-4-marxist-views.md)
  - [2.6.5 Feminist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-5-feminist-views.md)
  - [2.6.6 End of Topic Test - Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-6-end-of-topic-test-divorce.md)

### 3 Education
- 3.1 Roles & Functions of Education
  - [3.1.1 The Functionalist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-1-the-functionalist-approach.md)
  - [3.1.2 Evaluating Different Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-2-evaluating-different-perspectives.md)
  - [3.1.3 Types of School](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-3-types-of-school.md)
  - [3.1.4 Alternative Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-4-alternative-education.md)
  - [3.1.5 State & Private Schools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-5-state-and-private-schools.md)
- 3.2 Processes Within Schools
  - [3.2.1 Internal Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-1-internal-processes.md)
  - [3.2.2 External Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-2-external-processes.md)
- 3.3 Educational Achievement
  - [3.3.1 Measuring Educational Success](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-1-measuring-educational-success.md)
  - [3.3.2 Social Class & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-2-social-class-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.3 Social Class & External Factors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-3-social-class-and-external-factors.md)
  - [3.3.4 Gender & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-4-gender-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.5 Ethnicity & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-5-ethnicity-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.6 Parental Choice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-6-parental-choice.md)
  - [3.3.7 History of UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-7-history-of-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.8 Recent UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-8-recent-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.9 End of Topic Test - Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-9-end-of-topic-test-education.md)

### 4 Crime & Deviance
- 4.1 The Social Construction of Crime
  - [4.1.1 Defining Crime & Deviance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-1-defining-crime-and-deviance.md)
  - [4.1.2 Sociological Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-2-sociological-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.3 Interactionist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-3-interactionist-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.4 Alternative Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-4-alternative-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.2 Social Control
  - [4.2.1 Informal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-1-informal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.2 Formal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-2-formal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Social Construction of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-social-construction-of-crime.md)
- 4.3 Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
  - [4.3.1 Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-1-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.2 Social Class & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-2-social-class-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.3 Gender & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-3-gender-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.4 Ethnicity & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-4-ethnicity-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.5 Age & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-5-age-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.6 Criminal Responsibility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-6-criminal-responsibility.md)
  - [4.3.7 The Prison System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-7-the-prison-system.md)
  - [4.3.8 Media Reporting of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-8-media-reporting-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.9 Functionalist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-9-functionalist-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.4 Data on Crime
  - [4.4.1 Measuring Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-1-measuring-crime.md)
  - [4.4.2 End of Topic Test - Criminal & Deviant Behaviour](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-2-end-of-topic-test-criminal-and-deviant-behaviour.md)

### 5 Social Stratification
- 5.1 Social Stratification
  - [5.1.1 What is Social Stratification?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-1-what-is-social-stratification.md)
  - [5.1.2 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-2-functionalism.md)
  - [5.1.3 Socio-Economic Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-3-socio-economic-class.md)
  - [5.1.4 Socio-Economic Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-4-socio-economic-class-2.md)
  - [5.1.5 Life Chances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-5-life-chances.md)
  - [5.1.6 The Affluent Worker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-6-the-affluent-worker.md)
  - [5.1.7 End of Topic Test - Social Stratifictaion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-7-end-of-topic-test-social-stratifictaion.md)
- 5.2 Poverty as a Social Issue
  - [5.2.1 Defining Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-1-defining-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.2 Factors Affecting Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-2-factors-affecting-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.3 Explanations of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-3-explanations-of-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.4 Impact of Globalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-4-impact-of-globalisation.md)
  - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Poverty as a Social Issue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-poverty-as-a-social-issue.md)
- 5.3 Power & Authority
  - [5.3.1 Weber](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-1-weber.md)
  - [5.3.2 Sociological Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-2-sociological-perspectives.md)
  - [5.3.3 Power Relationships](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-3-power-relationships.md)
  - [5.3.4 End of Topic Test - Power & Authority](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-4-end-of-topic-test-power-and-authority.md)

### 6 Sociological Research Methods
- 6.1 Research Methods
  - [6.1.1 Research Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-1-research-design.md)
  - [6.1.2 The Scientific Method](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-2-the-scientific-method.md)
  - [6.1.3 Other Considerations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-3-other-considerations.md)
  - [6.1.4 Primary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-4-primary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.5 Secondary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-5-secondary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.6 Surveys](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-6-surveys.md)
  - [6.1.7 Sampling](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-7-sampling.md)
  - [6.1.8 Questionnaires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-8-questionnaires.md)
  - [6.1.9 Interviews](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-9-interviews.md)
  - [6.1.10 Observation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-10-observation.md)
  - [6.1.11 Statistics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-11-statistics.md)
  - [6.1.12 Case Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-12-case-studies.md)
  - [6.1.13 Longitudinal Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-13-longitudinal-studies.md)
  - [6.1.14 Ethnography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-14-ethnography.md)
  - [6.1.15 Experiments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-15-experiments.md)
  - [6.1.16 Small Scale Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-16-small-scale-research.md)
  - [6.1.17 End of Topic Test - Research Methods](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-17-end-of-topic-test-research-methods.md)
