Ann Oakley

“Medicalization has turned natural life processes like childbirth into medical events controlled by male professionals.”

“Sociology needs to be rescued from the male-dominated perspective that has shaped it.”

“Housework is work directly opposed to the possibility of human self-actualization.”

“The concept of 'housewife' is a social invention, not a biological destiny.”

“To be a housewife is to be a member of a very peculiar occupation, an occupation with no formal contract, no specific hours, no formal training and no union organization.”

“The division of labour between men and women is not a matter of biological necessity but of social convention.”

“The notion that men are naturally dominant and women naturally submissive is a myth used to justify inequality.”

“Motherhood is a social construction, not a biological imperative.”

“In our society, 'housewife' is a term with negative connotations, suggesting a woman who is boring, unintelligent, and unfulfilled.”

“Sex is a biological term; gender is a psychological and cultural term.”

“There is no such thing as a maternal instinct.”

“'Woman's work' is a euphemism for unpaid work.”

“Feminism is a political perspective. It is not a lifestyle.”

“The social construction of gender means that what is considered masculine and feminine is defined by the culture and society in which we live.”