Feminist theories suggest traditional family life was based on which model?

• A. Men owning women and treating women like property
• B. Women owning men and controlling finances
• C. Mutual respect and equal partnership
• D. Children owning parents' decisions

Answer: (A)

In feminist thinking, traditional family life is viewed as patriarchal, with men holding power and women being subordinated within the home. Describing this as men “owning” women and treating them like property captures how women were controlled within marriage and family, with limited legal rights, economic dependence, and restricted decision-making ability. This arrangement enforced gender roles and reproduced inequality across generations, making it the best way to express the traditional model as feminist theory sees it. The other ideas imply equality or invert the power dynamics, which don’t fit the traditional pattern feminist theories highlight.