Feminist sociology

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. 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. Charlotte Perkins Gilman's (1860-1935) work helped formalize feminist theory during the 1960s. Growing up she went against traditional holds that were placed on her by society by focusing on reading and learning concepts different from women who were taught to be housewives. Her main focus was on gender inequality between men and women along with gender roles placed on by society. Where men go to work secure proper income for the white ±family while women stay at home and tend to the family along with house hold chores. She 'emphasized how differential socialization leads to gender inequality'. Yet, she did agree that biologically there is different between those born with female and male parts kmt. Parts of her research involves a theoretical orientation of a multidimensional approach to gender and discusses more in depth in her book Women and Economics. Due to gender roles she believes that women pretend to live a certain life to avoid achieving their full potential living the role of a housewife. This is an example of a theory neurologist, Sigmund Freud, cultivated using a psychoanalysis process called conscious and subconscious state of mind. The specific example given would be considered falling under false consciousness instead of 'true' consciousness. Leading the belief that women are viewed as property towards their husbands because despite their own work they may do; economically women were still dependent on husbands to provide financial support to themselves and their family. She also said that the traditional division of labour was not biologically driven, but instead pushed upon based on how structure of society was established since before the nineteenth century. In the end Gilman describes it as sociobiological tragedy because women are disregarded as being part of the ideology of 'survival of the fittest'. Instead females are thought to be soft and weak individuals that are only good for productive reasons. Females are depicted as emotional and frail human beings who are born to serve their husbands, children, and family without living for herself. Gilman's research was conducted during a time where women being a sociologist were unheard of; she lived during a time that women couldn't even vote. Her research helps create a ripple effect along with other female sociologists that help paved wave for feminism, feminist, and concepts to correlate with feminist theory. The study of sociology had been mostly androcentric up until the 1970's, when sociological thinking began to shift to focus on women, as well. In 1963s, the Equal Pay Act, which was signed by John F. Kennedy, outlawed the wage disparity based on sex (Grady). The Equal Pay Act was one of the first ways that the United States began to shift its mentality about women’s rights, and how women should be treated in the workplace, and in society. In the 1970s, many women fought for the right to dictate what happens to their body, such as establishing legal abortions, as well as making forced sterilization illegal (Grady). This shifted how Americans saw women, and the country began changing to allow women to have more control over their bodies.   This social shift led to a change in attitude over bodily autonomy, and boundaries within the workplace, and throughout life. Beginning in the mid 1990's, women began to come forward with sexual harassment complaints and sexual assault allegations against their male counterparts, which led to a movement of drastically increased numbers of women taking a stance against sexual violence, leading to society recognizing there is a fundamental problem concerning sexual harassment (Grady). This, in turn, led to another movement in recent years called the “Me Too Movement” that led many women to coming forward with their own stories and encounters, showing the scope that sexual harassment affects women across the world. Many feminist sociologists argue that the intersectionality of women, especially when it comes to race, can no longer be ignored by the growing feminist movement. Due to the increase in popularity of this outlook, there has been a rise of transnational feminists, and greater stress on the idea that feminism is not a Western-centric idea, and must be able to adapt in order to incorporate the context and complications of individual cultures, and their traditions. The relationship between feminism and race was largely overlooked until the second wave of feminists produced greater literature on the topic of 'black feminism'. The second wave of feminists incorporated a 'new feminist theory' known as including race, gender, and class to explain the oppression women of color face. This intersectionalist approach on feminist sociology allows for a type of “marriage” between the “gender/race/class dynamic,” rather than excluding individuals of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, social classes, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factors. 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'.