Importance Of Feminist Theory

Discuss the major contributions of feminist theory to the understanding of social

And political life.

Feminist theory has come to be recognised as an influential theory that has singled out the social exclusion of women. This could be seen as its main premise but it is a far broader perspective. Feminism has articulated that gender differences subjected to sex as argued have played a secondary role to men in the most influential decision making and power positions in society. This has caused the invisibility of women, which has become an indicator of inequality. The issue of gender, that is socially learned behaviours owing to masculinity and femineity, has been one of the main ideals that feminism has owed the oppression, inequality and subordination

The first strand that will be discussed will be that of Liberal feminism which focuses on the issues of gender equality. This theory has influenced the breeding of social activists whose main concern has been conceived as to protect and mend the political and social freedom of life. This has transcended to waging legal and political clashes against gender based violence on a domestic level among others. Feminist political philosophers have enlightened the distinct separation of domestic and public and their influence on maintaining patriarchal domination of women. The domestic setup such as the family has provided for this type of notion, given the roles of bearing children and being caregivers in the household (McAfee, 2014). What liberal feminism has done most convincingly is breaking down how modern society discriminates against women within male dominated fields. In the light of this theory, liberal feminists have given the equality of rights to modernity. This perspective could not be comprehensive however to the difference between men and women, but there has been success in proving that this difference does not mean inferiority (Zerilli, 2009). (MacKinnon, 1989)The feminist theory goes deeper into exploring the nature of gender oppression using other perceptions of the feminist

However, male children have to separate from their mothers and identify with their fathers in order to be socialised according to their masculinity. They develop strong ego boundaries and a capability for independent action, objectivity and rational thinking to suit the patriarchal culture. Women are a threat to their independence and male sexuality. Girls are then socialised according to what women are supposed to be seen as, and so they reproduce the same nature that reproduces a male dominance. It is these qualities that make them potentially good mothers, and keep them open to the emotional needs of men. But because the men in their lives have developed personalities make emotionally guarded, women want to have children to bond with. Thus, children 's psychological sexualisation endlessly reproduced. To develop the capacity to feed men, and break the cycle of sexual reproduction personality structures, psychoanalytic feminism recommend shared parenting after men learn to parent. Emotional and erotic power of women is released and made noticeable in cultural constructions of women, but they are separated from male dominated culture, which is still