Feminist Family Theory and Structural Functionalism
INTL 415: Global Studies Theories
Fall 2021
Abdullah Sulaiman
Professor Leopoldo Rodríguez
In order to comprehend the economic, political, cultural, and social transformations in individuals, families, societies, and their environments, it is essential to understand how theories elaborate the key social perceptions, practices, and change initiatives. Structural functionalism and feminist family theory are two of the most significant social theories that have defined the scope of operations in the modern day Western society. The structural functionalist theory perceives society as a complex system whose components must operate together to facilitate and maintain order stability and solidarity. Feminist family theory focuses on championing equal rights for women in all social institutions and spaces. Whereas structural functionalism and feminism differ on the perception of the family, societal goals and gender roles, social stability, and education, they are similar in that each believe they are describing and pursuing better values for both individual members and the group (society) as a whole.
The structural functionalist framework focuses achieving order, stability and cohesion in the society. It views society via a macro-level orientation, which entails a wide focus on social frameworks that shape the society in its entirety. It describes/defines society in terms of the roles of its constituent components such as institutions, traditions, customs, and norms (Williams, 1989). Similar to a human body, structural functionalism establishes that interconnectedness of the values, institutions, and norms in society facilitates its smooth functioning and stability. On the other hand feminist theory is a broad terminology that emanated from multiple historical social movements that strived to secure equal social, political, and economic rights for women (Thomas & Davies, 2005). Feminist theory seems to have in two waves. The first-wave concentrated on legal issues such as marriage laws and roles, employment, including pay equity education including physical education, access to health care, voting, it was aimed at all women but its planners, philosophers, and participants were mainly white, middle-class women. (Thomas & Davies, 2005), This line of reformers stretches back, way back. Past Rosa Parks’ refusal to change seats, past Dorothy Huerta’s struggle to be recognized as primary mover in the United Farmworkers, past Margaret Mead’s culture rattling observations, past Sylvia Pankhurst’s forced-feeding, past Amelia Bloomer’s arrests for what could be called. “wardrobe malfunctions”, past the Seneca Falls Declaration ,past Sojourner Truth’s cry of “Ain’t I a woman ?” , past the drinking gourd in the sky lighting the way for Harriet Tubman and runaway slaves…these are all actions images and individuals who created the pathway for the “first wave” of feminist theory. As I think about them I am struck that despite Thomas and Davies assertions that the first wave was directed at and by white middle class women, I believe that the ideas and their attendant struggles have been pulsing for a long time. I can accept that the authors, both of them men, may be forgiven for disremembering a suppressed history of cohesive events stretching back far before the 1970’s. I will agree that within the past 50 years more issues have surfaced and as more data and insights are explored, theories will come, change and/or be discarded. Awareness causes vigorous interactive dialogs, and out of those dialogs healthy change happens. The simplistic view of “first and second waves” offends me. When the elegance of James Oppenheim’s poem Bread and Roses and its powerfully potent exclamation that “The rising of women means the rising of us all” was inspired by the Women’s Trade Union in 1911 and was put to music by Mimi Farina in 1974…the idea of first and second seems absurd…it is a continuum.
According to Thomas and Davies there was/is a second-wave feminism that revolutionized the earlier approach, seeking equality in sexuality, reproductive rights, employment, and family (Thomas & Davies, 2005). Again, I believe the issues are substantially the same…there are more voices expressing their needs…with more voices, well, diversity is noisy and messy. This is what democracy looks and acts like…this rising of women epitomizes the ups and downs of democracy.
The structural functionalist and feminist family theory differ on the scope, health, significance and goals of the individual family members and the family as a whole and its contribution to the wealth and health of the society. A thumbnail description of structural functionalist theory would include the notion that “When everybody understands and accepts their role and contributes, society itself is the intended benefactor”. This belief that the health of a society is dependent upon imposed roles, no matter what the cost is to the individual is at the heart of the divergence between the two theories. It is fascinating to think that blame becomes the informal code used to define and resist that which necessitates change, and the change itself. Biology is a fact based science. “Marriage” and “Family” are conservative institutions (that have been taught as requisite fact based courses in educational settings) which, when healthy, makes for a healthy prosperous society, or so say the structural-functionalists. The reasoning goes as follows…If society is troubled it must be because some families are not following the rules. Then, if the family is troubled it must be because someone isn’t doing their job. And then it gets very very weird. Who wrote and imposed those rules and roles, some of which turn into laws with official sanctioning power? Who defines what’s good and bad? Now here is a very strange part…who decides what success and failure look like…and how do we make the individual conform to the theory. The theory after all is just another human construct, why should we impose rules that have nothing to do with gender upon others? Yet, this is what has happened. Fetminist theorists perceive the family as a historical institution that has sustained and propagated sexual inequalities, while structural functionalist theorists view the family unit as an institution that facilitates significant functions that sustains the smooth running of the society (Williams, 1989). Functionalists acknowledge several roles of families in society, for instance; control of sexual behavior via the legitimacy norm, assignment of status, emotional support, protection, care, socialization and reproduction (Williams, 1989). According to Radcliffe Brown, primitive societies that do not have centralized constructions rely on the interaction of corporate-descent entities (Williams, 1989). Structural functionalism also asserts that the nuclear family is the bedrock of the society, and the resulting clans/cultures/societies grow from it, and not the opposite. Some societies sustain intrinsic stability and survive over time, others rapidly disintegrate. In particular, an increase in dysfunctional behaviors such as immorality, drug and alcohol abuse, and crime emanate from troubled and unstable families (Williams, 1989). In this regard, functionalists highlight that the presence or absence of stable family units in respective societies determines the individual and collective stability of people in society. For functionalists, the family perpetuates well-oiled integrated persons in society, propagating and determining the positive norms for all members of the wider society (Williams, 1989). Consequently, the family offers significant ascribed statuses such as ethnicity and social class to new members. Functionalists view the family as essential in the replacements and training of new members through reproduction. The family also offers property rights and enables and defines the conferment and sustenance of kinship order. Additionally, structural functionalism views the family as significant in offering support, emotional and material security to individual members. This further stabilizes the larger society. If everybody understands from the first moment that the hands that rock the cradle bestow status, then life-scripts are easier to accept and follow…and society rolls on smoothly. These then internalized rules, rites and rituals reflect, reinforce and advise the creation of standards set by the larger group. What happens in the family impacts the surrounding culture’s ability to function, for better or worse. The family’s most important “job” enables the society to grow conservatively and be productive.
Feminists believe that the family is a historical institution that continues to sustain and propagate sexual inequalities through formal and informal rules and attitudes. They advocate that their equality demands official expression and support through external social and political interventions. Feminists believe that the assigned subordinate gender roles which been imposed upon girls and women propagate inequality and this constitutes suppression as well as psycho-emotional trauma (Allen, 2016).
Feminists argue that society is ill and must change so that the individual members can heal and become whole…these new concepts like that of a diseased culture causing members to become ill, needing to be cured rather than the members conforming to some arbitrary stantards for the health of the whole, are being shared. Feminists strive to discredit the “natural order” in the family set up, highlighting that it is anything but natural, that it designates what is male and female behaviors that go far beyond even rudimenatory biology. It denigrates all genders whether assigned or assumed and sets its sights on comfortable conformity in service to the larger society. Structural functionalists believe that nurturing, through word-ideas like mothering is endemic to females…that it is a female’s joyful lot and responsibility to bear children and serve the husband, that her soul, her identity and happiness are defined by how well she does these things. Society runs smoothly when she knows her place Feminist argue that because there is so little essential distinction between the female and male bodies, the claims that all women naturally want/need to give birth, that women are weaker, that women need the care guidance and structure offered by males, that they are more nurturing than men, that women are less intelligent or more emotional than men, that they will become sterile if they drive a car, that society is failing because women cannot accept their roles are cutlure-bound defined barriers rather than being inborn gender derived traits (Thomas & Davies, 2005). Instead, they argue that many differences between males and females result from variation in physical training, exposure to education, division of labor, and dietary influence. Furthermore, different feminists highlight that even if there are significant psychological differences between women and men that makes the former more nurturing, they should be offered support or paid for helping raise children within the family setup (Allen, 2016). Furthermore, the anti-subordination feminists argue that whereas women and men might have some psychological or biological differences, they should not justify the social institutions that perpetuate domestic violence, unequal compensation for equal work, and vulnerability to poverty in women (Allen, 2016). According to the feminist theory, families are not natural institutions, but rather, social orderings reinforced by laws. Consequently, the state is mandated to intervene where necessary, depending on the outlined scope and mechanisms. Besides, political intervention strategies such as divorce is advocated by feminists as one strategy towards addressing gender discrimination in marriage…and afterwards. Change is slow
Structural functionalism is characterized by stability and harmony in society, while feminism highlights a conflict between women and men in society. Structural functionalism believes that the society develops acceptable norms that guide the behaviors of persons thus enabling them to cooperate and fully attain its goals. In doing so it creates and achieves stability and harmony. feminists believe that repetitive and discrete laws propagate gender inequality, hence the need for social change (Thomas & Davies, 2005). Structural functionalists advocate for the establishment of fixed laws that govern the activities of all persons present in society and facilitates an ordered code of conduct that propagates unity, cooperation, and productivity for all (Patti, 1992). On the contrary, feminists believe that the existing structural layouts and laws in society facilitate patriarchy and inequality, hence champion social change. Feminists believe that the rigidity of structural functionalism is a significant obstacle for radical change essential in the championing for human rights and equality.
Furthermore, structural functionalism posits that all members of the society, irrespective of their gender, should work together to function optimally, while feminism champion the freedom to choose individual paths and directions concerning career, sexual relationships, and functions in society. The proponents of the feminist theory argue that the society is marred by current conflicts between/among genders over other genders (McCabe, 2013). In their view, society is a patriarchy in which the males have control over females and what goes on in society. Whereas structural functionalism believes in value consensus, feminism does not. Value consensus refers to the shared values that are developed for the benefit of everyone in society. Feminists do not believe in the happy existence of value consensus, and instead, feel that through patriarchy, the predominant values are imposed on women by males. In this regard, feminists urge women to choose different paths that value self expression and diverse life choices. Feminists argue that the reimaging of what gender means will allow for positive growth for all particpants and thus there will be a more equitable world.
Additionally, structural functionality differs from the feminist theories on gender stratification and roles.The functionalist opinion is that gender roles exist to facilitate social efficiency. The functionalist perception on gender equality was most comprehensively elaborated in the 1940s and 1950s, and significantly spearheaded the nuclear family model developed by Talcott Parson (Kingsbury & Scanzoni, 2009). This theory establishes that gender inequalities seen in the gender roles exist as a robust mechanism of developing division of labor. Besides, the gender roles are meant to develop a social system whereby specific components are primarily responsible for particular, respective functions. This division of labor between men and women helps in maximizing resources and efficiency. The structuralism viewpoint of gender inequality concerning the division of labor asserts that the predetermined gender roles are complementary, hence lead to an organized, unified, and successful society (Kingsbury & Scanzoni, 2009). A significant example is that in a family, when the woman takes care of the domestic chores, the man goes out to work for income that is later used in providing for his family’s needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and luxury. Functionalists therefore believe that gender rolification, like other social institutions, is essential to a society’s stability. Therefore, proponents of the structural functionalist theories opine that basic needs such as money, clothing, shelter and food are the functional prerequisites required by individuals to survive and live above the poverty line (Kingsbury & Scanzoni, 2009). Consequently, the society needs to maintain its discrete social order through gender roles to ensure the stability of the functional prerequisites.
On the contrary, the feminist theory criticizes the structural functionalist standpoint on gender stratification, arguing that instead of reflecting gender roles, it reifies the gender roles. Whereas the functionalists view gender roles as significant to stabilizing social relations, the feminists believe that they should not be upheld as they are discriminatory against women. Feminists hold the position that functionalism propagate the oppression and suppression of the woman within the family structure (Thomas & Davies, 2005). The feminist theory assesses gender stratification through the intersection of class, race, and gender. In the feminists’ view, gender stratification takes place when gender variations offer men more significant power and privilege over women, gender-nonconforming persons, and transgender people (Vukoičić, 2013). The feminist theory examines the scope of gender inequality, and how it intersects with the interests, experiences and social roles of women. The feminist theory utilizes a conflict approach to assess the reinforcement of gender inequalities and roles. Radical feminism, to be specific, assesses the impact of patriarchy in propagating male dominance. In these patriarchal societies and families, the male contributions, roles, and perspectives are considered more valuable, leading to the marginalization and silencing of women (Sjoberg, 2013). Furthermore, feminists detests structural functionalism on its support for patriarchy, arguing that its main aim is to organize the society into a series of relationships that uphold male dominance. One significant example of the inequality in gender roles is that the functions assigned to women, for instance attending to house chores and taking care of their children and other family members slows down or impedes their educational, career, and overall economic growth (Sjoberg, 2013). On the other hand, male roles, such as getting into well-paying economic opportunities puts them into a systemic realm of power that enables them pursue their individual growth while exerting their influence on the home-bound women (Sjoberg, 2013). Another example which reinforces feminists’ distaste for functional gender roles is the assignment of low paying care jobs to the female gender, for instance, nursing, secretarial work, nanny jobs, and cleaning duties. On the contrary, males are predominantly assigned higher paying jobs such as science, technology, engineering and management (STEM) jobs which widens the gender wage gap and perpetuates the socioeconomic power of men over women in society (Sjoberg, 2013). This, as seen by feminists, is a recipe for widespread gender discrimination and inequality in society.
Whereas structural functionalists believe that gender roles are biologically constructed based on the physical, emotional, and psychological differences between men and women, feminists believe that gender roles are socially constructed to enable men exert perpetual influence over women. According to the structural functional theory, the society has its natural gender roles assigned to males and females based on their natural capabilities and traits. For instance, male are physically, emotionally, and psychologically stronger and aggressive, hence are destined to become leaders, handle complex and challenging jobs, and provide for their families (Patti, 1992). On the contrary, females are perceived to be caring, physically weaker, empathetic, emotional, and having a nurturing tendency. However, feminists argue that the gender roles emanating from the perceived differences between men and women are socially constructed through stereotypes that position males as inherently superior to females (Carey et al., n.d). Feminists also detest the predetermined gender roles in the family setup, arguing that it propagates the oppression and alienation of women from possible areas of growth in society (Carey et al., n.d). The feminist theorists argue that given equal opportunities and treatment as men, women can also excel in socioeconomic areas predominantly perceived as male only.
Additionally, structural functionality also differs with the feminist family theory on matters education. Whereas structural feminists believe that ordered education systems helps inculcate the required values, knowledge, and expertise in people which is essential for productivity, cohesion and success, feminist theories allege that the male dominated education system propagates suppresses the female gender and perpetuates inequality (Patti, 1992). Structural functionalists believe that the society is similar to the human body, in which the interaction and interconnectedness of social institutions such as the family and schools facilitates stability and common wellbeing (Khan et al., n.d.). Structural functionalists champion social health and attribute it as a proponent of social order characterized by the obedience of moral values by everyone in society. Consequently, functionalists believe that education aims at socializing teenagers and children and enabling them to learn the values, attitudes, and knowledge that will enable them to become productive adults (Khan et al., n.d.). Even though the goal is highlighted in the formal curriculum, it is predominantly obtained via a hidden curriculum championed by the equally potent application of the values and norms of the broader society. Besides, students’ behaviors are regulated via a set of institutional frameworks until they learn the required concepts. Additionally, functionalists attribute the ordered system of education to be essential in planning and executing the recruitment, job promotion or demotion for various job positions in different career paths, hence making it efficient to match the required talent with the most appropriate jobs.
On the contrary, feminist theorists believe that the education system is preferentially designed to favor male students over female and perpetuate the socioeconomic gap between them in their later lives. In particular, feminists opine that the curriculum is primarily based on the conventionally male-dominated subjects. This sets up males for further education and well-paying job opportunities compared to their female counterparts. Additionally, feminist theorists argue that the hidden curriculum is a significant source of gender socialization within learning institution (Weed, 1998). According to the feminism theory, learning institution appear to have books with the cotemporary family culture, in which children and student are taught from at an early stage that the man is dominant in the family, while the woman follow in his shadow. Beside, feminists decry the tendency to gender some career as male and others as female. For instance, a Food Technology course would be advocated for women, since they are traditionally gendered to cook and do housework (Weed, 1998). Besides, learning institution tends to have some sports dominated by men and women, for instance cricket and rugby by male students and netball and cheerleaders for female students. In this regard, feminist theorists establish that rather than propagating its intended purpose of empowering female and male students equally, they emphasize that the hidden curriculum perpetuate a gender socialization and advocacy for traditional gender roles which in turn patriarchy and gender inequality.
One of the theories that emerged in order to make sense of the industrial revolution and all of the complex social changes of what was happening to individuals, economy, families and society is called Structural functionalism. It is a theory that looks at how society needs to function as a whole and defines and describes the roles that must be fulfilled by each of its members for it to be successful. The foundation of this system is to create a state of equilibrium and balance…if society feels good all is good and resources must be allocated to maintain that balance. Carried to its logical conclusion, if society is malfunctioning it’s because some of the institutions supporting it are failing, some of the characters are not performing their assigned roles and steps must be taken to correct them. This is the basis for many of the formal and informal interpersonal interventions undertaken to “correct” members in the past. It lays out the structural formation of how to achieve and maintain balance in all systems. It asserts that any system that wants to promote the common good in society must limit their members’ behaviors by forcing them to conform to the codes of that society. This requires focusing and refocusing its members through every available means from laws prohibiting bloomers, to ones that restrict who can drive a car or who can go to school to indoctrinating children on their roles and life expectations and goals…how you act as a boy to be a boy becoming a real man and how you act as a girl to be a girl becoming a full fledged woman, and once you arrive how to maintain that status. This opens doors to racial, religious, ethnic and gender supremacy through active oppression of groups by groups over other groups ad infinitum. For example, whenever a hierarchy of any sort is established, it is ruled by the few with power, money, prestige, and social status they create and regulate access to resources. They determine who gets what, when, and how. They define.dedicate, an and distribute social roles among the populace, assigning each one power rankings. One achieves and derives worth from performing these functions. If the larger group is flailing, diagnoses are developed and curatives are applied in order to bring the system back to health. It is who creates and how these curatives are created and the manner in which they are administered that reveals that behind the tattered but suffocating curtain a false malevolence masquerading as science emerges, and begins pushing, pulling words and their meanings into some of the previously identified sick nonsensical rationales.
Structural functionalists believe that it is imperative to avoid imbalance in society, so every role and task must be fulfilled by its assigned members. For example, society needs to have a variety of jobs and positions in order to be prosperous, from plumbers to presidents and all skill sets in between. Some folks drive forklifts while others are neurosurgeons, some folks make paper while others write upon it, some folks teach while others pick peaches and so on. One thing the current pandemic has taught us is about how things as simple as toilet paper become viewed as essential. This theory claims that if society does not establish clear hierarchy and ranks, then it is doomed and will self-destruct and crumble. This has led to oppression and exploitation of certain social, religious ethnic and biological groups. They use factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disabilities to determine system of positions and ranks. Once given a subordinate status a person’s worth is measured by how industriously and cheerfully they discharge their tasks promoting the values that oppress them They are positioned to be laborers and are subjected to become enslaved and exploited if they refuse to fulfill those roles, Any negative behaviors i.e.people acting beyond their stations that is seen to rock the lifeboat are labeled as deviant dangers, and will be dealt with and corrected.
Many theorists believe that structural functionalism continues to legitimize the systems of hierarchy in society, while promoting inequality in terms of roles and positions by the way those roles are assigned and implemented. Then who assigns what to whom and the big question WHY? Structural functionalism seems to seek compliant capable subjects that conform to the model for the sake of validating the model itself. It’s a matter of powerful convenience that policing the populace goes far beyond formal laws, where the world becomes a prison where appetites and attitudes of all types are designed, developed and controlled…if you feel this you must be that. Ask any woman. It is not just a Western phenomena, but it is here in the Weat that people are beginning to challenge that perhaps an unhealthy imbalanced system needs to change, so that its members can become healthy.
Feminist family theory looks deep into social systems and identifies the power struggles expressed through gender identification, limitation and supression. The feminst theorist argues that a cogent cohesive society cannot exist until all forms of oppression, inequality and injustice are addressed, particularly the role patriarchy plays in our society.. They believe unjust hierarchical gender systems are in place that oppress girls and women, keeping them from becoming whole people. They want those systems identified discredited and shredded. Now.
Structural functionalism states that one of society’s goals is having all its members do their job and function accordingly. Structural functionalism examines how families are the most important sources of creating a healthy society.
This theory tells families it is its responsibility to procreate and socialize all its members to play their parts in order to benefit the common good of society. However, feminist theorist, believe that applying structural functionalism as though it were as real as air continues to inhibit dreams much lees achievements. It is a theoretical framework that brought and then created more and deeper problems the more it was/is applied as a measure of health. It paves the way so that tomorrow’s sameness is today’s goal.
Therefore one feminst goal is to help change the power dynamic in society. . For centuries, women have been on the forefront in ending oppression, inequality and exploitation for multiple groups all over the world . Women now fight for equal treatment, the rights to an education that enlightens a future, the right to walk unaccompanied down the street, the right to vote, the right to express affirmation and condemnation without reprisal, the right to wear whatever clothing she desires for any reason without violent reprisals, the right to claim the rights and privileges of owning their own name, the right to choose who her sexual partners are and how that will be expressed, the right to grow as she can not as she has been defined as able to. Just the fact that many females are still struggling to attain the same simple rights as their male counterparts is shocking. Of course the issue of gender income parity is still “debated” but not really…ways forward exist and must be implemented rights and choices to her reproductive health.
Feminist theorists argue that power and resources are unequally distributed amongs women and men. The redistribution of power and resources will bring more equitable ways. Feminists, also focus on how marriages are structured in general. The wife bears the burden to maintain a clean household, keep her kids and husband happy and well fed. A “good wife” should not complain or else she will be seen as unfit . A “good wife” also bears the burden to support her husband’s dreams and put her own dreams, desires and opportunities aside. Feminists believe that women all over the world make huge sacrifices to maintain the imposed social orders that in turn reinforce male support dominance .
Nevertheless, feminist theorist bring important issues to the surfaces, regarding the struggles and oppression and just treatment of women endure in the hands of capitalistic and patriarchal society. However, feminist theorist, disregards any ideologies that don’t support their ways of thinking. For example, Muslim women have their own belief systems they follow. They practice modesty differently from western views. Muslim women decide to cover her hair and chose to wear modest clothes for the sake of pleasing God. However, western feminsit view those practices are seen as a form of oppression instead of fulling one’s religious obligation.
One of these myths is that women are supposed to be expressive and nurturing, while men are instrumental and aggressive . Thus little boys are supposed to play active physically demanding sports, take math and science courses, and little girls are supposed to play with dolls, learn small motor crafts and assist the mom by being encouraged to be a mini-mom now so that later she can become a successful mom too. Prior to 1970 if a woman became a mom all bets were off the table in terms of job opportunities and support. Prior to Title Nine girls had limited access to sports…unfortunately there is stilll a long way to go in this area Feminist theorists correctly point out that “gender roles are defined by society, not biology. Each male dominated society constructed artificial roles for women and men not based on their biological abilities and inabilities.
Therefore, another example of how structural functionalism and feminist theory do not see eye to eye in prospect of that family development is that structural functionalism emphasizes that every part of a function isinterconnected and in that connectedness each part’s function is influenced by one another, they have argued that the increase in single-parent and dual-earners families contributes to the dysfunction of failure for children to do well in school. The imposition of the nuclear family looms large over this lifescape. The reasoning goes that since parents must work long hours in order to make a living, there is less family time to supervise homework and activities, this then contributes to creating a dysfunctional society. This failure of parents and children then leads to them dropping out of school and into streets and getting into criminal activities and/or living at maintenance poverty levels. because they do not have the education and skills to get an adequate job. For want of a nail the entire structure crumbles
Although, structural functionalism has some similarities with Islam in the need of formulating social order, they differ in the prospect of how those functioning roles are fulfilled. For example, structural functionalist theorists argue that in order for society to be balanced as a whole it must have some sort of inequality…and it must be tolerated to succeed…it is believed that rewards and punishment should be in placed rewards such as income, status, prestige or power in order to perform roles required by society. They believe that all forms of classes have to exist; they claim that society must have rich, middle, and working poor because their roles are important for the functioning of the society. Islamic perspective. We believe that there is such a thing as obtaining a just society with the formula of providing equality for all.
I reject the assumption that we must support an unjust society in order to bring balance. . I believe that everyone should have the equal right to obtain the same resources and the same amount of quality for everyone. I believe that the phrase feminist can be culture specific. There are Muslim feminsits and Christian feminists each group has a goal of assisting its sisters and brothers in self definition and expression. This is what a healthy society does. Even though structural functionalism and feminist theories exhibit stark differences in their depiction of how the society should be run, they both attempt to offer framework that facilitates the wellbeing of individuals in society. For instance, functional structuralism aims to perpetuate interconnectedness of the values, institutions, and norms in society to ensure its smooth functioning and stability. In a similar manner, feminist theorists also desire a stable society, on condition that the existent social structures facilitate fair treatment of both gender and allows them to choose their roles without coercion.
In summary, structural functionalism and feminism differ on the perception of the family, gender roles, and education, and also exhibit similarity in their primary intention of facilitating the wellbeing of societal members. Whereas the feminist theorists perceive the family as a historical institution that has sustained and propagated sexual inequalities, structural functionalist theorists view the family unit as an institution that facilitates significant functions that sustains the smooth running of the society. Furthermore, structural functionalism is characterized by stability and harmony in society, while feminism highlights a conflict between women and men in society. Moreover, functionalists view gender roles as significant to stabilizing social relations, while the feminists believe that they should not be upheld as they are discriminatory against women. Contrary to structural functionalists who attribute education as a significant empowerment aspect, feminists allude that the hidden curriculum is developed to unfairly promote male dominance in lucrative career paths and future well-paying job opportunities. Even though the two theories exhibit significant differences in their doctrines, they are both aimed at improving life and wellbeing in society.
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