Gender Inequality Theories in Australian Society

The assignment discusses gender inequality theories, including Marxist Feminism and Socialist and Culture Feminism. The Marxist Feminist theory views women as being under the oppression of a strong power structure that prevents them from giving respect to women and showing care for them. The Socialist and Culture Feminism theory highlights biological differences between women and men and promotes celebrating these gaps. Apart from these theories, moderate, material, Amazon, and radical feminism theories also exist. These theories provide knowledge about gender inequality in Australian society, including its manifestations at workplaces, external environment, and internal environment. They also promote feminism concepts and aspects that help individuals understand the reasons for gender inequality and develop initiatives to reduce it.

Running Head: Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis
Understanding societies: An introduction to social analysis
[Document subtitle]

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 1
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Gender Inequality in Australia.........................................................................................................1
Gender Inequality theories...............................................................................................................2
Role of Gender inequality theories in providing knowledge about inequality in Australian
Society.............................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 2
Introduction
This paper has been discussed the gender inequality in Australia. Gender inequality is a very
common issue nowadays. The main motive of this paper is to study the Gender inequality and its
theories or evaluate the role of different theories in providing the significant knowledge about
how the inequality is manifested in Australian society. In order to collect significant data and
information, the paper is used a lot of secondary research sources. The use of secondary research
sources will maintain the transparency and efficiency of paper for further research scholars. The
literature review a form of secondary research is used here for data collection purpose. The
whole study is supported by current and relevant arguments that provide the significant
understanding of the Gender Inequality in Australia. This paper will prove very beneficial for the
target audience who are future research scholars and students as well. With the help of this
research, they can learn about the gender inequality in Australian society or understand the
relevant theories which play an important role in awarding better understanding of the form of
inequality.
Gender Inequality in Australia
Coy (2016) defines the gender inequality as discrimination against women based on their sex.
Generally, it is believed that the Australian and other society members considered the women as
a weaker sex. Therefore, they don't give them the designation equal to men. It is not only the
case of houses but also in the corporate sector. She is exploited, discriminated, and violated both
physically and mentally. Therefore, it is right to say that the gender inequality is one of the
foremost issues in Australian society and other countries. In the previous time period, the women
in Australia considered behind in comparison to men. It is because of mentality and tradition of

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 3
the Australian society members. In order to put a control over gender inequality, the Australian
government has taken a lot of initiatives. These initiatives are in the form of different women
empowerment schemes and legislation against discrimination. In Australia, the girls and women
are only just 50.7 percent of the Australian population. On the other hand, Healey (2018) said
that the women in Australia comprise only 47% of the Australia employees. Most of the
organizations hired women on average of $251.20 which is highly less than men each week. That
national gender pay existed in Australia is approximate 15.3% ("Face the facts: Gender Equality
2018 | Australian Human Rights Commission", 2018). Nowadays, it stuck between 15 to 19
percent for the last two decades. During 2017, Australia received the 35th rank of the global index
evaluating gender equality. Therefore, it is right to say that the gender inequality in Australia is a
major issue in front of government as well as society members. There are a lot of reasons behind
the growing percentage of gender inequality in Australia. The foremost reason is that women
aged 18 or older have experienced a lot of sexual harassment in their lifetime. Due to the
physical and mental exploitation of women, it remains behind in bringing gender equality.
Gender Inequality theories
There are a lot of gender inequality theories propounded by different research scholars and
institutions. This has been done to explain the problem why the issue of gender varies from
region to region and why the implementation of female empowerment and gender equality is
lower than expected rate. These theories are following:
Feminist Theory: The feminism is an important term which states that all people are equal in
the world, and women are same as the men. According to the feminist theory, it is believed that
the women and men are equal and should deserve equal economic, political, and social image

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 4
(Allen, 2018). This is the basic part of each feminism theory discussed in below-mentioned
headings.
Marxist Feminist theory: The second and foremost gender inequality theory is Marxist
Feminist theory. It is an important part of the Feminism theory. This theory is very popular
among society members. According to the Marxist Feminist theory, it is believed that the gender
inequality is happening due to capitalism, Benston, ray, triple and dual theory system. Apart
from this, the Marxist feminist theory also states that dependence, economic inequality,
unhealthy social relations and political confusion between women and men are the root of
women's oppression in the current social context (Jayachandran, 2015). The author of this theory
also believes that the individuals are under the oppression of a strong power structure that
prevents them from giving respect to women and showing care for them. Therefore, it is right to
say that the Marxist Feminist theory can use the women's as guide principle for their liberation.
Socialist and Culture Feminism: This theory is an important part of the Feminism theory and
gives significant contribution towards defining the understanding of women equality within the
existing society. According to this theory, it is right to say that there are significant personality
gaps between women and men and that women's gap should consider special and celebrate by
each member of the concerned society (Modleski, 2015). This theory promotes the notion that
there are biological differences between women and men and each should look with dignity
towards these gaps and give appropriate respect. For example, it is right to say that the women
are gentle and kinder than men. As per the culture Feminism theory, every individual should
finish gender inequality by celebrating special qualities of women's.

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 5
Apart from the above-mentioned gender inequality theories, there are also some important
theories like moderate, material, Amazon and radical feminism (Weir, 2014). These theories give
a significant knowledge to individuals and tell the necessity of gender inequality reduction.
Role of Gender inequality theories in providing knowledge about
inequality in Australian Society
It is right to say that the above-mentioned gender inequality theories play an important role in
offering the significant knowledge about how inequality is manifested in Australian society. It is
the gender inequality theory which provides the information about the reasons for gender
inequality. For example, with the help of gender inequality theory, an individual can collect the
necessary information about the reason of gender inequality in Australian society (Ponthieux,
2015). The gender inequality in Australian society may take place at workplaces, external
environment, and internal environment. It is the gender inequality theories with which the
reasons can clearly detect an appropriate initiative can take accordingly. On the other hand,
another important role of inequality theories is that they provide an individual an effective
knowledge of feminism concepts and aspects. By considering all these concepts and aspects, the
individual can prepare themselves to give respect to women and their specific biological features.
Apart from this, Treas (2016) said that the gender inequality theories both utilizes and produces
knowledge such as feminism theories generate knowledge that embodies the assumptions of
these theories and ignores the experiences and perspectives of women. Moreover, Thébaud
(2015) has been predicted that knowledge should be formulated from a broader base of
experience. Here, the gender inequality theories serve as a broader experience for the individuals
with which they get significant knowledge and experience about gender inequality facts and
figures. Therefore, it is right to say that the gender inequality theories provide the individual a

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 6
complete representation of women's realities. This knowledge of women’s reality may help
Australians in changing their perception and thinking towards women (Sturgeon, 2016). So, it
can be said that the theory helps the individual in understanding the way gender inequality is
manifested in Australian society.
Conclusion
After studying all this, it can be concluded that gender inequality is one of the important issue
faced by American in past two decades. The presence of gender inequality influenced the overall
economic growth of the country. Due to the less economic growth and less focus towards gender
inequality, Australia is able to attain 35th rank in the global index. Furthermore, it can also say
that gender inequality theory plays an important role in understanding the theoretical aspects of
feminism. This theoretical and practical knowledge helps the individual to learn about specific
characteristics of women and give them respect accordingly. So, it is right to say that the gender
inequality theory serves as a guide which representing the way of resolving and reducing the
level of gender inequality in Australia and other countries.

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 7
References
Allen, A. (2018). The power of feminist theory. Routledge.
Coy, M. (Ed.). (2016). Prostitution, harm and gender inequality: Theory, research and policy.
Routledge.
Face the facts: Gender Equality 2018 | Australian Human Rights Commission.
(2018). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 15 March 2018, from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/face-facts/face-facts-gender-equality-2018
Healey, J. F., Stepnick, A., & O'Brien, E. (2018). Race, ethnicity, gender, and class: The
sociology of group conflict and change. Sage Publications.
Jayachandran, S. (2015). The roots of gender inequality in developing
countries. economics, 7(1), 63-88.
Modleski, T. (2015). The women who knew too much: Hitchcock and feminist theory.
Routledge.
Ponthieux, S., & Meurs, D. (2015). Gender inequality. In Handbook of income distribution (Vol.
2, pp. 981-1146). Elsevier.
Treas, J., & Tai, T. (2016). Gender inequality in housework across 20 European nations: Lessons
from gender stratification theories. Sex Roles, 74(11-12), 495-511.
Thébaud, S. (2015). Business as plan B: Institutional foundations of gender inequality in
entrepreneurship across 24 industrialized countries. Administrative Science Quarterly, 60(4),
671-711.

Understanding Societies: An Introduction to Social Analysis 8
Sturgeon, N. (2016). Ecofeminist natures: Race, gender, feminist theory and political action.
Routledge.
Weir, A. (2014). Sacrificial logics: Feminist theory and the critique of identity. Routledge.