Title: Feminist Theory: Definition and Discussion
Headings: Feminist Theory in Sociology
Feminist Theory in Sociology
An Overview of Key Ideas and Issues
Key Takeaways
Overview
Gender Differences
Gender Inequality
Gender Oppression
Structural Oppression

Content: Key Takeaways
Key areas of focus within feminist theory include: discrimination and exclusion on the basis of sex and gender
objectification
structural and economic inequality
power and oppression
gender roles and stereotypes
Overview
Many people incorrectly believe that feminist theory focuses exclusively on girls and women and that it has an inherent goal of promoting the superiority of women over men. In reality, feminist theory has always been about viewing the social world in a way that illuminates the forces that create and support inequality, oppression, and injustice, and in doing so, promotes the pursuit of equality and justice. That said, since the experiences and perspectives of women and girls were historically excluded for years from social theory and social science, much feminist theory has focused on their interactions and experiences within society to ensure that half the world's population is not left out of how we see and understand social forces, relations, and problems. While most feminist theorists throughout history have been women, people of all genders can be found working in the discipline today. By shifting the focus of social theory away from the perspectives and experiences of men, feminist theorists have created social theories that are more inclusive and creative than those that assume the social actor to always be a man. Part of what makes feminist theory creative and inclusive is that it often considers how systems of power and oppression interact, which is to say it does not just focus on gendered power and oppression, but on how this might intersect with systemic racism, a hierarchical class system, sexuality, nationality, and (dis)ability, among other things. Gender Differences
Some feminist theory provides an analytic framework for understanding how women's location in and experience of social situations differ from men's. For example, cultural feminists look at the different values associated with womanhood and femininity as a reason for why men and women experience the social world differently. 1 ﻿ Other feminist theorists believe that the different roles assigned to women and men within institutions better explain gender differences, including the sexual division of labor in the household.