Feminist Thought

Liberalism and the New Conservative Feminism

Several strands, some more classically “L”iberal, others more classically Conservative

The most “L”iberal: “equity feminism”

Associated with people like Christina Hoff Sommers

Reject what they call “victim” feminism or “cultural feminism”

Hoff Sommers criticizes contemporary feminism as having a “fixation on intimate anatomy, combined with left-wing politics, and a poisonous antipathy to men” (Hoff Sommers, “Feminism and Freedom,” The American Spectator, 41(6), 52-62)

Equity feminism sees gender disparities as the result of individual choices, not systematic discrimination or patriarchy (see for example, Hoff Sommers “Fair Pay Isn’t Always Equal Pay,” NYT, 22 September 2010, 25)

Sarah Palin also represents this thinking in her comments,

“Together, our pro-women sisterhood is telling these young women that they're strong enough and smart enough” to do both (work outside the home and have children), she said. “They're capable to be able to handle an unintended pregnancy and still be able in less than ideal circumstances, no doubt, ... [to] give their child life in addition to pursuing career and pursuing education, pursuing avocations, though society wants to tell these young women otherwise.”

In short, “equity feminism” seeks radical equality of the sexes, stress that women don’t need “special treatment”

They are usually libertarians in their approach to civic life, government, the economy

What does that mean?

Conservative Feminism

Rejects “sexual politics” and the “politicization” of intimate relationships

Emphasizes the importance of the private sphere and family

Blames Second Wave Feminism, really what Hoff Sommers calls “cultural feminism” for destroying the family, denigrating motherhood and traditionally female roles and attributes

Celebrates gender difference, heterosexism as natural

Equates organized feminism with social engineering, promoting “alternative,” i.e., artificial modes of family, rearing children, gender socialization, androgyny

In realm of practical politics, often anti-abortion, anti-birth control, anti-mothers working outside the home

What’s Feminist about Conservative Feminism?

Celebrates femininity, traditionally feminine qualities and talents

What’s Liberal about Conservative Feminism?

Sees the state, society as enemies of personal freedom

Seeks “liberation” through individual autonomy, choice

Refuge in the private sphere/family

It is also Communitarian, at times

arguing for the local community to be the locus of civic life; stressing voluntarism

Criticisms of Equity/Conservative Feminism??

Some of these appear in Judith Stacey article, “The New Conservative Feminism,” Feminist Studies, 9(3) 559-583.

No recognition of gender subordination, gender as a system, a system of social control

No theory of power, systematic, structured

Sees only individuals, choices

No critique of the family, gender relations as being “political,” i.e., structured by systems of power

No sense of family as historically specific, culturally embedded; rather the patriarchal, nuclear family is seen as natural, ahistorical, universal

Palin, mama grizzlies, motherhood trope

“you can have it all”??

No class consciousness, analysis of how class privilege enables some women to “have it all” and others to have very little and to do all the work

What do you do about gender violence?