I broadly agree with the feminist project and think they have done more good than harm. I also have the following criticisms
Feminists too often mistake the complex, dynamic and context-dependent way status/power actually works for an oversimplified “patriarchy” where men as a class oppress women as a class.
This means feminism is much more sensitive to sexism against women and will routinely miss or play down sexism against men. This wouldn’t be a problem except that feminism has sort of universalist aspirations; they’re often more like a special interest group.
Feminism sometimes advocates taking political roles that can be oppressive, in much the same way gender roles can. This is partly why the movement has had trouble embracing transgendered people, BDSM, porn stars, sex workers etc. (And why the views of so-called ‘radical’ feminists still can’t accept these groups)
Despite talking a lot about intersectionality, the core feminist institutions are more like a voice for Western, white, upper middle class women than for women as a whole. (A criticism I feel kind of like a dick making as I am all of those things+ a man, but it’s true).
The movement isn’t a good place for a young man to make his social home because as a woman’s movement the place for men in it is in the background and the primary way the movement relates to men is in their defense of women from men (which is fine, politically, it just is a terrible way for a young man to relate to himself).
The thing is, there isn’t a movement for gender equality. It seems to be very hard to motivate people to work on things without building in a group identity, and the group identity is us vs. them. Or have I spent too much time reading people who work that way, and there are alternatives I haven’t seen?
I’ve wondered whether people have a bias towards bad ideas. Simple good sense isn’t dramatic enough (or possibly doesn’t offer enough opportunities for power seeking) to get attention easily.
Still, there’s some good work being done, and I think of this as an effort to figure out how to live well with other people—something which is surprisingly difficult.
It seems to be very hard to motivate people to work on things without building in a group identity, and the group identity is us vs. them. Or have I spent too much time reading people who work that way, and there are alternatives I haven’t seen?
Well, humans seem to be wired that way, so anyone you’ve met who works differently has done so deliberately and is very strange.
Feminists too often mistake the complex, dynamic and context-dependent way status/power actually works for an oversimplified “patriarchy” where men as a class oppress women as a class.
That sounds like ‘radical feminism’, and it’s not so much a mistake of the ‘feminism’ as it is of the ‘radical’. Marx did the same thing with class.
This means feminism is much more sensitive to sexism against women and will routinely miss or play down sexism against men. This wouldn’t be a problem except that feminism has sort of universalist aspirations; they’re often more like a special interest group.
Feminists actually have a lot of complex, dynamic, and context-dependent reasons for focusing on sexism against women, ranging from being a radical feminist, to thinking sexism against women is the bigger problem that needs to be dealt with, to thinking that’s what ‘feminism’ is about by definition and someone else should have the job of being sensitive to sexism against men. It’s one reason “women’s studies” programs in universities have been slowly converting themselves over to “gender studies”, to drop the female-centric nature as it’s no longer needed.
Despite talking a lot about intersectionality, the core feminist institutions are more like a voice for Western, white, upper middle class women then for women as a whole. (A criticism I feel kind of like a dick making as I am all of those things+ a man, but it’s true).
This has been internally considered a big problem for a long time, and now remains a problem only if you look at Western, white, upper middle class feminist institutions specifically.
The movement isn’t a good place for a young man to make his social home
Indeed. There are a lot of crazies out there. But I’d make the same case for just about any ‘movement’.
Feminists too often mistake the complex, dynamic and context-dependent way status/power actually works for an oversimplified “patriarchy” where men as a class oppress women as a class.
That sounds like ‘radical feminism’, and it’s not so much a mistake of the ‘feminism’ as it is of the ‘radical’. Marx did the same thing with class.
Well, my sense is that the simple view is (a) what the radicals hold and (b) what those who don’t get into the theory end up believing. It’s kind of like how the Catholic church itself doesn’t think God is necessary for morality but this view is common among evangelicals and unstudied Catholics.
Feminists actually have a lot of complex, dynamic, and context-dependent reasons for focusing on sexism against women, ranging from being a radical feminist,
Being a radical feminist isn’t really a reason for doing something, what are the reasons for being a radical feminist? Anyway, my understanding of the radfem position is that there is no such thing as sexism against men, so yes, they’re not going to be paying a lot of attention to sexism against men.
to thinking sexism against women is the bigger problem that needs to be dealt with, to thinking that’s what ‘feminism’ is about by definition and someone else should have the job of being sensitive to sexism against men.
These reasons I’m pretty much fine with (and mostly agree with), which is why the problem isn’t that they aren’t good at noticing sexism against men but that they’re aren’t good at noticing sexism and take themselves to be giving a universal and unbiased perspective on gender issues. Feminism has problems being both the major vehicle for gender egalitarianism and the major vehicle for empowering women. The contradictions here were extremely minimal when feminism started out, but of course the more success feminism has the more this contradiction will come into play.
This has been internally considered a big problem for a long time, and now remains a problem only if you look at Western, white, upper middle class feminist institutions specifically.
I agree that it has been a problem internally. And maybe I need to make this more clear: I basically have one foot in the camp and one foot outside it, so some (maybe even most) of my criticisms are things that feminists have said themselves. I’m not sure I know what you mean by “remains a problem only if you look at …”. I don’t think there are many feminist institutions that identify themselves as Western, white and upper middle class. If you mean the institutions that are made up of mostly Western, white and upper class women then I suppose I agree with you except that these are the best funded, most influential and, for the rest of the culture, defining institutions for feminism. My experience reading non-white, poor and non-Western women on this subject suggests they still perceive many of the same problems that spurred the initial intersectionality critique.
Indeed. There are a lot of crazies out there. But I’d make the same case for just about any ‘movement’.
I think my original comment made it clear why I think feminism is particularly problematic in this regard but if it didn’t let me know and I’ll clarify.
Well, my sense is that the simple view is (a) what the radicals hold and (b) what those who don’t get into the theory end up believing. It’s kind of like how the Catholic church itself doesn’t think God is necessary for morality but this view is common among evangelicals and unstudied Catholics.
Yes, I’d have to grant you that, and I think the rest follows.
Feminism has problems being both the major vehicle for gender egalitarianism and the major vehicle for empowering women. The contradictions here were extremely minimal when feminism started out, but of course the more success feminism has the more this contradiction will come into play.
I get the impression it’s moving in the opposite direction. The shrill radical sorts are being de-emphasized (not least since everyone noticed political correctness is silly), and as I noted “women’s studies” is slowly transforming into “gender studies”.
The major battlegrounds now, as I see them, are on exactly these sorts of questions. Is gender egalitarianism possible? Is it valuable? Are there factors which explain things like income disparity, and what, if anything, should we do about them?
But then, I haven’t really been following the literature for a couple of years.
I get the impression it’s moving in the opposite direction. The shrill radical sorts are being de-emphasized (not least since everyone noticed political correctness is silly), and as I noted “women’s studies” is slowly transforming into “gender studies”.
I see what you mean here. I think it’s part of the same process. Equating gender egalitarianism with empowering women doesn’t make quite as much sense as it once did. And for this reason radical feminists are losing influence, their message doesn’t resonate like it used to. But at the same time aspects of the radical view haven been embedded in a lot of feminist 101 stuff (just think, for example, about the concept of the patriarchy) and mainstream/liberal feminism is having a really hard time getting away from that.
I broadly agree with the feminist project and think they have done more good than harm. I also have the following criticisms
Feminists too often mistake the complex, dynamic and context-dependent way status/power actually works for an oversimplified “patriarchy” where men as a class oppress women as a class.
This means feminism is much more sensitive to sexism against women and will routinely miss or play down sexism against men. This wouldn’t be a problem except that feminism has sort of universalist aspirations; they’re often more like a special interest group.
Feminism sometimes advocates taking political roles that can be oppressive, in much the same way gender roles can. This is partly why the movement has had trouble embracing transgendered people, BDSM, porn stars, sex workers etc. (And why the views of so-called ‘radical’ feminists still can’t accept these groups)
Despite talking a lot about intersectionality, the core feminist institutions are more like a voice for Western, white, upper middle class women than for women as a whole. (A criticism I feel kind of like a dick making as I am all of those things+ a man, but it’s true).
The movement isn’t a good place for a young man to make his social home because as a woman’s movement the place for men in it is in the background and the primary way the movement relates to men is in their defense of women from men (which is fine, politically, it just is a terrible way for a young man to relate to himself).
The thing is, there isn’t a movement for gender equality. It seems to be very hard to motivate people to work on things without building in a group identity, and the group identity is us vs. them. Or have I spent too much time reading people who work that way, and there are alternatives I haven’t seen?
I’ve wondered whether people have a bias towards bad ideas. Simple good sense isn’t dramatic enough (or possibly doesn’t offer enough opportunities for power seeking) to get attention easily.
Still, there’s some good work being done, and I think of this as an effort to figure out how to live well with other people—something which is surprisingly difficult.
Well, humans seem to be wired that way, so anyone you’ve met who works differently has done so deliberately and is very strange.
That sounds like ‘radical feminism’, and it’s not so much a mistake of the ‘feminism’ as it is of the ‘radical’. Marx did the same thing with class.
Feminists actually have a lot of complex, dynamic, and context-dependent reasons for focusing on sexism against women, ranging from being a radical feminist, to thinking sexism against women is the bigger problem that needs to be dealt with, to thinking that’s what ‘feminism’ is about by definition and someone else should have the job of being sensitive to sexism against men. It’s one reason “women’s studies” programs in universities have been slowly converting themselves over to “gender studies”, to drop the female-centric nature as it’s no longer needed.
This has been internally considered a big problem for a long time, and now remains a problem only if you look at Western, white, upper middle class feminist institutions specifically.
Indeed. There are a lot of crazies out there. But I’d make the same case for just about any ‘movement’.
Well, my sense is that the simple view is (a) what the radicals hold and (b) what those who don’t get into the theory end up believing. It’s kind of like how the Catholic church itself doesn’t think God is necessary for morality but this view is common among evangelicals and unstudied Catholics.
Being a radical feminist isn’t really a reason for doing something, what are the reasons for being a radical feminist? Anyway, my understanding of the radfem position is that there is no such thing as sexism against men, so yes, they’re not going to be paying a lot of attention to sexism against men.
These reasons I’m pretty much fine with (and mostly agree with), which is why the problem isn’t that they aren’t good at noticing sexism against men but that they’re aren’t good at noticing sexism and take themselves to be giving a universal and unbiased perspective on gender issues. Feminism has problems being both the major vehicle for gender egalitarianism and the major vehicle for empowering women. The contradictions here were extremely minimal when feminism started out, but of course the more success feminism has the more this contradiction will come into play.
I agree that it has been a problem internally. And maybe I need to make this more clear: I basically have one foot in the camp and one foot outside it, so some (maybe even most) of my criticisms are things that feminists have said themselves. I’m not sure I know what you mean by “remains a problem only if you look at …”. I don’t think there are many feminist institutions that identify themselves as Western, white and upper middle class. If you mean the institutions that are made up of mostly Western, white and upper class women then I suppose I agree with you except that these are the best funded, most influential and, for the rest of the culture, defining institutions for feminism. My experience reading non-white, poor and non-Western women on this subject suggests they still perceive many of the same problems that spurred the initial intersectionality critique.
I think my original comment made it clear why I think feminism is particularly problematic in this regard but if it didn’t let me know and I’ll clarify.
Yes, I’d have to grant you that, and I think the rest follows.
I get the impression it’s moving in the opposite direction. The shrill radical sorts are being de-emphasized (not least since everyone noticed political correctness is silly), and as I noted “women’s studies” is slowly transforming into “gender studies”.
The major battlegrounds now, as I see them, are on exactly these sorts of questions. Is gender egalitarianism possible? Is it valuable? Are there factors which explain things like income disparity, and what, if anything, should we do about them?
But then, I haven’t really been following the literature for a couple of years.
I see what you mean here. I think it’s part of the same process. Equating gender egalitarianism with empowering women doesn’t make quite as much sense as it once did. And for this reason radical feminists are losing influence, their message doesn’t resonate like it used to. But at the same time aspects of the radical view haven been embedded in a lot of feminist 101 stuff (just think, for example, about the concept of the patriarchy) and mainstream/liberal feminism is having a really hard time getting away from that.
Sounds like we’re on roughly the same page.