Feminism vs. Positivism: Gender Studies and Sexuality | Comparative Analysis

This sample work explores the contrasting frameworks of feminism and positivism in the context of gender and sexuality studies. The assignment covers gender equality, societal structures, and intersectionality. It also highlights key debates within gender studies.

Hire us for your Assignment Help Online. Contact us now!

Gender and Sexuality in Society from Theoretical Perspectives: Feminism & Positivism

FEMINISM:

Feminism, a socio-political and cultural movement, promotes equal rights, opportunities, and treatment for people of both genders, with an emphasis on addressing and redressing the discrimination and disadvantages that women have historically and currently suffered. The goal of feminism is to confront and disrupt institutional and social frameworks that support gender-based oppression and injustice (Bard, 2023, October 28). 

Although the goals and methods of feminism may differ, some common themes are the following:

• Gender equality: Achieving gender equality, where people of all genders have equal rights and opportunities in all spheres of life, including politics, economics, education, and interpersonal relationships, is the central objective of feminism.
• Challenging stereotypes: Traditional gender roles and stereotypes that prescribe behaviors for men and women are challenged and dismantled by feminism. It aims to develop a more flexible and inclusive view of gender and the expectations that come with it.
• Women’s rights: Historically, feminism has focused on resolving concerns that are unique to women, such as domestic abuse, employment discrimination, and reproductive rights. The feminist movement focuses on women’s rights.
• Empowerment: Feminism encourages women and other oppressed groups to take charge of their lives, stand up for what is right, and participate in the decision-making process. Promotes autonomy and self-determination.
• Intersectionality: Feminists accept this concept since gender injustice is linked to other forms of discrimination such as race, class, sexual orientation, and disability. Intersectional feminism recognizes the unique challenges that multi-oppressed people face.
• Social and legal reform: A common aspect of feminist action is promoting changes to laws and regulations that discriminate against women or defend gender disparities. Additionally, it aims to dispel cultural practices that encourage gender bias and raise awareness about them.

It is crucial to recognize that feminism does not have a single perspective. Liberal, radical, intersectional, and other feminisms offer different perspectives and approaches to gender equality.

Concept of Feminism with regard to Articles readings:

Feminism has emerged as an interdisciplinary area of study, catalyzing various academic inquiries and research initiatives within other academic domains. Several prominent topics within the field of feminism are presented below, accompanied by references to notable academic works.

• Claudia Goldin’s 2014 study, titled “A Great Gender Convergence: Its Final Chapter,” examines historical patterns of gender income and educational attainment disparities in the United States.
• The publication entitled “Global and Regional Estimates of Violence Against Women: prevalence and Health Effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual Violence” from the World Health Organization (2013) provides extensive information on the occurrence of violence against women around the world.
• The article titled “Abortion Around the World: A Decade of Uneven Progress” by the Guttmacher Institute in 2016 investigates the patterns observed in abortion rates and regulations on a global scale.
• Kimberlé Crenshaw’s seminal publication, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory, and Antiracist Politics,” was first published in 1989.
• In her seminal 1984 research titled “Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood,” Kristin A. Luker explores the influence of the women’s movement on the issue of abortion rights in the United States.

Feminist studies help us understand gender issues and the fight for gender equality in various societies.

POSITIVISM:

Positivism is a philosophical and social science framework that places significant emphasis on empirical observation, data collection, and utilizing the scientific process as the primary approach to acquiring knowledge and understanding the world. The concept is linked to the notion that validity should be attributed only to knowledge that can be objectively observed and confirmed. The philosophical framework of positivism originated during the era of Enlightenment and subsequently received significant recognition during the 19th century. (Count (1830/1986)

The fundamental attributes and principles associated with positivism encompass:

• Empiricism, as posited by positivism, posits that knowledge is acquired through the process of sensory experience and empirical observations. Prioritizing facts, data, and evidence takes precedence over abstract or philosophical thinking.
• The concept of positivism states that a proposition or idea has meaning only if it can be verified empirically. In essence, if a proposition lacks the capacity to be subjected to empirical testing or verification, it is considered unimportant.
• Objectivity is a fundamental principle held by positivists, who strive to achieve a state of impartiality and minimize the influence of personal biases and subjectivity in their research efforts. Proponents claim that scientific information should exhibit a high degree of value neutrality and objectivity.
• Positivists defend the scientific method as a means of conducting research in both the natural and social sciences. This approach involves the collection and methodical examination of data, the development of hypotheses, and the subsequent verification of these hypotheses using experimental or observational means.
• Reductionism is an approach commonly employed in positivism, in which complicated phenomena are deconstructed into simpler, more manageable components to facilitate research. This methodology is used to investigate fundamental factors and interconnections in a methodical manner.

The term “positivism” is often associated with Auguste Comte, a 19th-century French philosopher and pioneer of sociology. Comte’s positivist paradigm assumed that society could be studied scientifically. He proposed a three-phase model of the progression of human knowledge: theological or religious, metaphysical or abstract, and positive or scientific.

Concept of Positivism with regard to Articles readings:

Positivism has exerted a substantial influence on numerous academic fields, especially in the field of social sciences. The following are fundamental components of positivism, supported by references to notable works and their respective years of publication:

Empirical research: Empirical research refers to the systematic investigation and analysis of phenomena through the collection and interpretation of data. It is a scientific approach.

• Max Weber’s 1919 work “Objectivity in the Social Sciences and Social Policy” highlighted the importance of using empirical research methods and maintaining objectivity in the study of social phenomena.

Scientific Method: The scientific method is a systematic approach used in scientific research to investigate and understand natural phenomena. It involves a series of steps that include

• In 1897, Emile Durkheim’s “Suicide: A Study in Sociology,” a pioneering sociological study, used the scientific method to investigate the causes of suicide rates. This study strongly emphasized empirical evidence in its analysis.

Quantitative Analyzes: The present study used a quantitative analysis approach to examine the data.

• The notion of “middle-range theories” was proposed by Robert K. Merton in his seminal article “Social Theory and Social Structure” published in 1949. Merton emphasized the importance of employing quantitative tools to empirically examine sociological theories.

Positivism in economics: the concept of positivism in the field of economics:

• Milton Friedman’s essay “The Methodology of Positive Economics,” published in 1953, is a seminal literary work that promotes the principles of economic positivism. Emphasizes the importance of conducting empirical tests to validate economic ideas.

Behavioral Psychology: The field of study known as behavioral psychology focuses on the scientific examination of human and animal behavior.

• The seminal work “Psychology as the Behaviorist Sees It” (1913) by John B. Watson is considered a foundational text for behaviorism in psychology. This famous work emphasizes observable behaviors and experimental methods.

The sources demonstrate the widespread influence of positivism and empirical research methods in sociology, economics, and psychology across academic fields and time periods. Positivism’s emphasis on objective, empirical analysis has helped build various fields and advance scientific understanding in each domain.

Examples of Everyday Experiences of Gender and Sexuality:

1: Gender Transformation:

Example 1: Alex, a 30-year-old transgender, describes his gender transition. His past includes hormonal medication, surgery, and the social and legal consequences of gender reassignment. (Details are attached as Appendix I).

Feminism: Transgender man Alex practices feminist “gender inclusion” and “gender diversity.” He promotes gender identities beyond masculine and feminine. Alex’s hormones, surgery, and change are feminist. This highlights the need to accept the gender identities of transgender people, respect their self-identification and campaign for legal and social changes that protect their experiences.

Positivism: Positivism’s “empirical research” proves Alex’s transsexuality. Quantitative empirical research explains the phenomena. Document the results of transgender surgery and hormone therapy. The legal and social changes in this community are examined. Evidence is needed to explain gender transition, health care outcomes, and legal and social changes regarding transgender people. Positivity emphasizes this.

2: Challenges in the workplace:

Example 2: Jordan, a 35-year-old gay man, talks about workplace bullying, microaggressions, and the importance of coming out to stay authentic. Jordan is LGBTQ. (Details are attached as Appendix II).

Feminism: Intersectionality influences feminist life in Jordan. Gender, sexuality and race affect people, according to intersectionality. Jordan’s LGBTQ identity can lead to gender and sexual orientation discrimination. Intersectional feminism fights for the rights and justice of multiple identities.

Positivism: Jordan’s work resembles the “data collection and analysis” of positivism. Positivism studies social issues with statistics. Jordan researched workplace discrimination, microaggressions, and the effects of freely expressing one’s identity on employees and its benefits. Positive research addresses social issues with measured data.

3: Intersectionality

Example 3: Carlos, a black queer person, talks about his sexuality and race in this video. They share how they have handled discrimination and hate caused by various identities. (Details are attached as Appendix III).

Feminism: Carlos is a feminist who lives intersectionality. Intersectionality recognizes that race, gender, and sexuality affect people. Carlos, a Black LGBTQ person, faces discrimination in numerous areas. Intersectional feminism fights against intersectional oppression and promotes complex identity rights and inclusion.

Positivism: Carlos represents “Data Collection and Analysis” positivism. Positivism uses data to study society. Carlos can study the emergence, impact, and trends of racial and sexual hostility. With objective and quantitative facts, this positivist study solved social problems.

LO1: Demonstrate knowledge of the debates in the sociology of gender and sexuality.

The sociology of gender and sexuality is dynamic, with ongoing debates about feminism and positivism. These arguments focus on sociological methods, perspectives, and approaches to gender and sexuality. In this field, several important elements and continuous debates deserve attention (Risman, 2018).

Feminism and gender sociology: Feminist researchers have been crucial in challenging gender norms and analyzing gender formation in society. The best ways to manage gender identity, roles, and inequality are a hot topic in feminism and sociology (Haraway 1988).

Important considerations are:

Postpositivism: Feminist researchers argue that a positivist framework may not adequately capture people’s complex and subjective experiences of gender and sexuality. They recommend post-positivist and qualitative methods to study these experiences.

Ethnographic research is a qualitative method used to study how people negotiate their gender identities and sexual orientations in different social contexts. This strategy uses ethnography and in-depth interviews.

Positivism and the Sociology of Gender:

Positivist sociology emphasizes empirical facts and quantitative measures to study issues of gender and sexuality. However, this perspective can limit understanding of the complexity of gender and sexuality. Important considerations are:

Gender inequalities: Positivist methods have made it easier to measure and analyze gender inequalities, such as the gender pay gap. These measures have shaped policy.

Criticism: A positivist approach may not capture the qualitative and subjective aspects of gender and sexuality. Gender studies experts maintain that quantitative data may not fully capture gender experiences.

Complementarity: Some sociologists believe that positivist and qualitative methods should be used together to identify patterns and understand their meanings and experiences.

Emerging Approaches and Debates:

Queer theory: Queer theory is a critical sociological approach to gender and sexuality. The theme challenges sexual and gender norms and uses a post-positivist deconstructive framework. (Butler 1990).

Research Ethics: Debates continue over the ethics of gender and sexuality research. Academic researchers should examine the ethical concept of informed consent, the risk of revictimization in sensitive research, and the need to promote inclusion and respect throughout the study process (Valentine, 2017).

Critical feminist approaches: Researchers use critical and post-structuralist perspectives. These researchers study gender and sexuality through discourses, power relations and construction of social identity (Connell, 2009).

LO2: Critically interpret evidence from everyday experiences of gender and sexuality about academic debates on the sociology of gender and sexuality.

Sociology scholars can critically analyze gender and sexuality in everyday life using feminist and positivist viewpoints. There are several ways to interpret these experiences:

Gender norms and everyday life:

Daily events highlight how gender norms and expectations affect behavior. Feminist sociologists emphasize that these norms are socially generated and reinforced, resulting in unequal power relations. As an example,

• In the workplace, women are expected to care for others, while men are expected to lead. This phenomenon illustrates gender conventions that feminist sociologists believe must be challenged to achieve gender equality (West et al., 1987).

Media and representation: These are important topics in communication and cultural studies. Examines how media channels such as television and social opinions on gender and sexuality are strongly influenced by the media. Feminist sociology criticizes media representations for perpetuating negative notions and stereotypes.

• Daily media consumption often sparks debates about how objectification, gender violence, and restricted representation fuel gender inequality. Feminist media analysis emphasizes the need for more inclusive and stronger representations (Woodward, 2016).

LO3: Use theory to interpret and illuminate everyday experiences of social life and social structures.

Feminist theory studies the social, political, and economic inequalities of women to understand and address them. Even in comparable jobs, men and women receive different compensation due to the gender pay gap. This event could be interpreted using feminist ideas such as gender stratification. One of the studies states that gender hierarchies in society cause salary differences. The wage gap in everyday life shows how structural structures foster gender inequalities. Feminist researchers link wage disparity to patriarchal institutions and deeply ingrained social norms that privilege men as primary earners and women as caregivers. (Acker, 2006)

Domestic abuse is a widespread but largely unreported social problem. The positivist perspective maintains that the best way to understand the extent of domestic abuse is through hard facts, such as surveys, police reports, and hospital records. Positivism allows for the development of policies and the implementation of interventions by measuring the extent of the problem. By using data, we can better understand trends, vulnerabilities, and the effectiveness of specific interventions (Mooney, 2000).

LO4: Demonstrate a critical understanding of academic evidence and how it can be used to construct an argument.

A feminist and positivist understanding of academic evidence includes:

• When choosing evidence, use academic research, studies, and concepts that are directly relevant to the topic of study, particularly feminism and positivism. This requires studying positivist methods for researching gender inequality (Risman, 20110).
• The task is to analyze and evaluate the evidence. This requires a rigorous analysis of the selected evidence, taking into account methodology, data, and strengths and limitations. Check if it supports or opposes your thesis.
• Construct an argument: use evidence to form a logical and coherent argument. Positivist research methodology provides measurable data, while feminist perspectives emphasize qualitative and intersectional ways of addressing the complexity of gender-related issues (Haraway, 1988).
• To handle counterarguments, one must recognize and analyze opposing ideas while contextualizing one’s own. Consider credible counterarguments to the academic debate for a complete academic discussion. This demonstrates subject matter competence and elevates perspective. Examine counterarguments to critically evaluate various opinions that may contradict the main argument. This procedure improves argumentation, intellectual rigor and academic discourse. (Tuchman, 1984).
• Formulating informed conclusions: This section summarizes important arguments and draws reasoned conclusions using academic evidence. This post asks how one’s argument affects feminism and positivism.

LO5: Critically evaluate academic arguments to build an understanding of gender and sexuality in society

Academic ideas for understanding gender and sexuality in social frameworks, particularly feminism and positivism, can be methodically evaluated (Risman, 2023).

1. Identify the key argument in the academic article. What is the main thesis on sexuality and gender of positivism and feminism?

2. Evaluate the theoretical framework or perspective used to support the argument. This exam evaluates positivist and feminist ideas.

3. Evaluate the focus of the study. Do you prioritize positivism, quantitative data, empirical analysis, or qualitative and post-positivist methods?

4. Evaluate the evidence for the argument to determine its credibility and relevance. Is the data on gender and sexuality reliable and complete?

5. Explore intersectionality: Check to see if the argument incorporates race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation.

6. Ethical Critique Considerations: This critique explores the gender and sexuality ethics of academic work, including informed consent, privacy, and harm to participants.

7. Critical reflection: Evaluate how the argument impacts our knowledge about gender and sexuality in society. Its policy formulation, social transformation, and future research results are valuable.

Appendix I

Details of Example 1: Alex, a transgender guy who is 30 years old, discusses his experience of transitioning from the female to the male gender. Alex transitioned from the female to the male gender. Prior to this, Alex considered herself to be a woman. In the past, he has altered his gender identity, which required him to go through the processes of hormone therapy and surgery, as well as deal with the social and legal implications of doing so. This was all a part of his journey to become the person he is now, and it was important for him to go through it. 

This example is taken from a book Feminist media analysis: A critical introduction. SAGE Publications, by Woodward.

Appendix II

Details of Example 2: This is an example from everyday life and is taken from an article. Jordan, a gay man of 35 years old, talks about the difficulties he encounters in the profession, including discrimination in the workplace, microaggressions, and the significance of coming out in the workplace to retain authenticity. Because Jordan is a member of the LGBTQ community, he considers himself to be a part of that community. 

Appendix III

Details of Example 3: Throughout the chat, Carlos, a gay Black guy, talks about how his racial identity and sexual orientation are interwoven with one another. Carlos is a member of the African American community. They discuss the challenges they have faced in overcoming prejudice and discrimination as a direct result of the intersection of these identities and the experiences they have shared with one another. These issues have arisen as a direct result of the experiences they have shared with one another. 

This example is taken from an article and is a very good explanation of Gender/sexuality.

References:

Hire us for your Assignment Help Online. Contact us now!

Check other Sample Work:

• Mental Health in Adolescents: Impact Of Social Media and Creative Expressions
• How Green Banking Practices Influence Employee Behavior and Sustainability
• The Impact of Homelessness on Mental Health in the UK